Emergency room visit (high severity) in Alabama
Below is what hospitals in Alabama charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 8 hospitals in Alabama run from $300 to $1,029. The typical hospital charges $880. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $880
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
10 hospitals. Sort by: Cash price ▲ · Negotiated median · Gross charge · Negotiated low
What these numbers mean.
Cash price is what the hospital lists for patients paying out of pocket.
Negotiated median is the middle of what insurance companies actually agreed to pay.
Gross charge is the sticker price — almost nobody pays it.
What you will actually pay is usually different from both numbers:
with insurance, your deductible, copay, or coinsurance decides what you owe —
the negotiated rate is what the insurer pays, not your bill.
A single line item may not be the whole cost: physician, anesthesia, pathology,
and facility fees can be billed separately.
Prices vary by hospital and change over time; always confirm with the hospital before you go.
| Hospital | Cash price | Where it sits | Insurance pays (typical) | Gross charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wiregrass Medical Center AL · Price file June 30, 2026 | $300Insurance typically pays $240Sticker price $400 | Lowest price of any hospital | $240 | $400 |
| Southeast Health Medical Center AL | $515Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,286 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | — | $1,286 |
| Cullman Regional Medical Center AL | $576Insurance typically pays $389Sticker price $887 | Cheaper than 71% of hospitals | $389 | $887 |
| Grandview Medical Center AL · Price file November 22, 2024 | $732Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $4,878 | Cheaper than 57% of hospitals | — | $4,878 |
| Athens Limestone Hospital AL | $1,029Insurance typically pays $642Sticker price $1,029 | Pricier than 57% of hospitals | $642 | $1,029 |
| Helen Keller Memorial Hospital AL | $1,029Insurance typically pays $642Sticker price $1,029 | Pricier than 57% of hospitals | $642 | $1,029 |
| Decatur Morgan Hospital-decatur Campus AL | $1,029Insurance typically pays $642Sticker price $1,029 | Pricier than 57% of hospitals | $642 | $1,029 |
| Huntsville Hospital AL | $1,029Insurance typically pays $642Sticker price $1,029 | Pricier than 57% of hospitals | $642 | $1,029 |
| Shoals Hospital AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $642 | — | — | $642 |
| North Alabama Medical Center AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $642 | — | — | $642 |
Procedure code 99284. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.