Critical care, first hour in Iowa
Below is what hospitals in Iowa charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 32 hospitals in Iowa run from $289 to $2,149. The typical hospital charges $1,313. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,313
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
33 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond IA · Price file April 22, 2026 | $289Insurance typically pays $376Sticker price $482 | Lowest price of any hospital | $376 | $482 |
| Orange City Area Health System IA · Price file September 23, 2026 | $417Insurance typically pays $393Sticker price $521 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $393 | $521 |
| Knoxville Hospital & Clinics IA · Price file January 24, 2026 | $421Insurance typically pays $338Sticker price $701 | Cheaper than 94% of hospitals | $338 | $701 |
| Boone County Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $422Insurance typically pays $308Sticker price $528 | Cheaper than 90% of hospitals | $308 | $528 |
| Madison County Health Care System IA · Price file October 21, 2026 | $424Insurance typically pays $504Sticker price $530 | Cheaper than 87% of hospitals | $504 | $530 |
| Shenandoah Medical Center IA · Price file September 21, 2026 | $526Insurance typically pays $375Sticker price $810 | Cheaper than 84% of hospitals | $375 | $810 |
| Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center IA · Price file March 31, 2026 | $529Insurance typically pays $192Sticker price $529 | Cheaper than 81% of hospitals | $192 | $529 |
| Crawford County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $604Insurance typically pays $463Sticker price $755 | Cheaper than 77% of hospitals | $463 | $755 |
| St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home IA · Price file November 3, 2026 | $605Insurance typically pays $605Sticker price $605 | Cheaper than 74% of hospitals | $605 | $605 |
| Broadlawns Medical Center IA | $619Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $619 | Cheaper than 71% of hospitals | $345 | $619 |
| Cass County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 1, 2026 | $652Insurance typically pays $708Sticker price $931 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $708 | $931 |
| Myrtue Medical Center IA · Price file April 21, 2026 | $652Insurance typically pays $596Sticker price $1,125 | Cheaper than 65% of hospitals | $596 | $1,125 |
| Manning Regional Healthcare Center IA · Price file October 16, 2026 | $710Insurance typically pays $1,086Sticker price $1,060 | Cheaper than 61% of hospitals | $1,086 | $1,060 |
| Jefferson County Health Center IA · Price file August 20, 2026 | $929Insurance typically pays $625Sticker price $1,548 | Cheaper than 58% of hospitals | $625 | $1,548 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion IA · Price file June 11, 2026 | $967Insurance typically pays $675Sticker price $1,611 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $675 | $1,611 |
| Van Diest Medical Center IA · Price file November 12, 2022 | $1,174Insurance typically pays $1,174Sticker price $1,467 | Cheaper than 52% of hospitals | $1,174 | $1,467 |
| Grundy County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 29, 2026 | $1,452Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,816 | Pricier than 52% of hospitals | — | $1,816 |
| Hawarden Regional Healthcare IA | $1,464Insurance typically pays $929Sticker price $1,722 | Pricier than 55% of hospitals | $929 | $1,722 |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital IA | $1,604Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,005 | Pricier than 58% of hospitals | — | $2,005 |
| Virginia Gay Hospital IA · Price file August 13, 2026 | $1,646Insurance typically pays $831Sticker price $2,057 | Pricier than 61% of hospitals | $831 | $2,057 |
| Adair County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file September 2, 2026 | $1,774Insurance typically pays $857Sticker price $2,365 | Pricier than 65% of hospitals | $857 | $2,365 |
| Guthrie County Hospital IA · Price file September 26, 2026 | $1,849Insurance typically pays $980Sticker price $1,849 | Pricier than 68% of hospitals | $980 | $1,849 |
| Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| Finley Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| Trinity Muscatine IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| Jones Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| St Lukes Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| Allen Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,149Insurance typically pays $654Sticker price $2,687 | Pricier than 71% of hospitals | $654 | $2,687 |
| Ottumwa Regional Health Center IA · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $64,402 | — | — | $64,402 |
Procedure code 99291. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.