Critical care, first hour in North Carolina
Below is what hospitals in North Carolina charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 11 hospitals in North Carolina run from $1,170 to $15,603. The typical hospital charges $2,368. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $2,368
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sampson Regional Medical Center NC · Price file November 2, 2026 | $1,170Insurance typically pays $868Sticker price $1,672 | Lowest price of any hospital | $868 | $1,672 |
| Carolina East Medical Center NC · Price file September 25, 2026 | $1,482Insurance typically pays $1,066Sticker price $2,470 | Cheaper than 90% of hospitals | $1,066 | $2,470 |
| Harris Regional Hospital NC | $1,798Insurance typically pays $1,457Sticker price $4,494 | Cheaper than 80% of hospitals | $1,457 | $4,494 |
| Rutherford Regional Medical Center NC | $1,823Insurance typically pays $2,229Sticker price $4,558 | Cheaper than 70% of hospitals | $2,229 | $4,558 |
| Person Memorial Hospital NC | $2,213Insurance typically pays $3,831Sticker price $5,533 | Cheaper than 60% of hospitals | $3,831 | $5,533 |
| Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Fayetteville, NC | $2,368Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $3,947 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | — | $3,947 |
| Wilson Medical Center NC | $2,382Insurance typically pays $4,223Sticker price $5,954 | Pricier than 60% of hospitals | $4,223 | $5,954 |
| Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast Concord, NC · Price file December 1, 2025 | $2,809Insurance typically pays $2,272Sticker price $5,618 | Pricier than 70% of hospitals | $2,272 | $5,618 |
| Memorial Mission Hospital And Asheville Surgery Ce NC · Price file September 1, 2026 | $6,089Insurance typically pays $2,113Sticker price $6,089 | Pricier than 80% of hospitals | $2,113 | $6,089 |
| Caromont Regional Medical Center NC · Price file May 11, 2026 | $6,460Insurance typically pays $2,161Sticker price $6,460 | Pricier than 90% of hospitals | $2,161 | $6,460 |
| Frye Regional Medical Center NC | $15,603Insurance typically pays $2,536Sticker price $39,006 | Highest price of any hospital | $2,536 | $39,006 |
| Central Carolina Hospital NC · Price file July 20, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $7,347 | — | — | $7,347 |
Procedure code 99291. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.