Emergency room visit, high complexity 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 $450 to $1,479. The typical hospital charges $1,115. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,115
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 | $450Insurance typically pays $490Sticker price $600 | Lowest price of any hospital | $490 | $600 |
| Grandview Medical Center AL · Price file November 22, 2024 | $643Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $4,289 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | — | $4,289 |
| Cullman Regional Medical Center AL | $738Insurance typically pays $561Sticker price $1,135 | Cheaper than 71% of hospitals | $561 | $1,135 |
| Southeast Health Medical Center AL | $751Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,877 | Cheaper than 57% of hospitals | — | $1,877 |
| Athens Limestone Hospital AL | $1,479Insurance typically pays $559Sticker price $1,479 | Pricier than 57% of hospitals | $559 | $1,479 |
| Helen Keller Memorial Hospital AL | $1,479Insurance typically pays $559Sticker price $1,479 | Pricier than 57% of hospitals | $559 | $1,479 |
| Decatur Morgan Hospital-decatur Campus AL | $1,479Insurance typically pays $559Sticker price $1,479 | Pricier than 57% of hospitals | $559 | $1,479 |
| Huntsville Hospital AL | $1,479Insurance typically pays $559Sticker price $1,479 | Pricier than 57% of hospitals | $559 | $1,479 |
| Shoals Hospital AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $947 | — | — | $947 |
| North Alabama Medical Center AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $947 | — | — | $947 |
Procedure code 99285. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.