INSIGHTS

ER Visit Cost for Heart Palpitations: 
Most Expensive Hospitals

PUBLISHED on MARCH 14, 2022

The average national ER visit cost for the treatment of heart palpitations is $2,249 for patients with insurance, and $2,544 for patients without insurance. However, some hospitals are publishing prices up to 15 times higher than the average, according to Goodbill’s analysis of more than 2,500 hospitals across the country.

Most common charges for heart palpitations

Heart palpitations, often described as a fluttering or pounding sensation in the heart, are one of the most common drivers of emergency room visits, and the cost of treatment can quickly add up. An ER visit for heart palpitations will most likely include charges for the following procedures and services, according to an analysis of real hospital bills that Goodbill helped negotiate for patients: 

  • Electrocardiogram, also called EKG 
  • Chest X-ray
  • Urine test, also called urinalysis
  • Complete blood count
  • Basic metabolic panel
  • Magnesium level 
  • Troponin analysis
  • ER visit level 5

Hospitals charge an “ER visit level” fee based on the complexity of the treatment, and a higher level means a higher fee. Heart palpitations are generally billed as an ER visit level 5, the maximum level on a scale of 1 to 5.

Heart palpitations are generally billed as an ER visit level 5, on a scale of 1 to 5. A higher level means a higher fee.

Most expensive states for ER visit for heart palpitations, with insurance

Here is the median ER visit cost for the treatment of heart palpitations in every state, for patients with insurance. Goodbill calculates these costs by looking up hospitals' published prices for the standard CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes associated with each procedure and service. Dark-red states are the most expensive.

Source: Goodbill.com data analysis of hospital prices nationwide, February 2023

10 most expensive hospitals for ER visit for heart palpitations, with insurance

Here are the 10 most expensive hospitals in the country for the treatment of heart palpitations, for patients with insurance. The Indiana University Health hospital system, which has made headlines for its high healthcare costs, dominated this list, accounting for eight out of 10 hospitals on the list.

A deeper look into what's driving up Indiana University Health's published prices revealed that they are using the same CPT code for "ER visit level 5," or 99285, to define multiple types of services ranging from the standard emergency room service to the more costly trauma service.

  1. South Baldwin Regional Medical Center (Community Health Systems), Foley, AL — $16,913.35
  2. IU Health Paoli Hospital (Indiana University Health), Paoli, IN — $16,001.70
  3. Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center (Dignity Health), Glendale, CA — $14,283.41
  4. Jay County Hospital (Indiana University Health), Portland, IN — $13,710.77
  5. IU Health Bloomington Hospital (Indiana University Health), Bloomington, IN — $13,640.73
  6. IU Health Bedford Hospital (Indiana University Health), Bedford, IN — $13,290.80
  7. IU Health Blackford Hospital (Indiana University Health), Hartford City, IN — $13,290.53
  8. IU Health Tipton Hospital (Indiana University Health), Tipton, IN — $13,150.45
  9. IU Health Frankfort Hospital (Indiana University Health), Frankfort, IN — $13,040.16
  10. Indiana University Health (Indiana University Health), Indianapolis, IN — $12,409.60

10 most expensive hospitals for ER visit for heart palpitations, without insurance

Here are the 10 most expensive hospitals in the country for the treatment of heart palpitations, for patients without insurance. The Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center hospital system dominates the list, comprising the top three hospitals on the list. The Tenet Healthcare Corporation hospital system also has four hospitals on the list.

A deeper look into what's driving up Loma Linda University's published prices revealed that they are using the same CPT code for "ER visit level 5," or 99285, to define multiple types of services ranging from the standard emergency room service to the more costly trauma service.

  1. Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta (Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center), Murrieta, CA — $38,107.50
  2. Loma Linda University Medical Center (Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center), Loma Linda, CA — $38,107.50
  3. Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center) - Loma Linda, CA — $38,107.50
  4. South Baldwin Regional Medical Center (Community Health Systems), Foley, AL — $22,896.09
  5. North Shore Medical Center (Tenet Healthcare Corporation), Miami, FL — $22,637.23
  6. North Shore Medical Center (Tenet Healthcare Corporation), Fort Lauderdale, FL — $22,637.23
  7. Doctors Medical Center of Modesto (Tenet Healthcare Corporation), Modesto, CA — $22,568.09
  8. Hampton Regional Medical Center (Atrium), Varnville, SC — $22,565.28
  9. Doctors Hospital of Manteca (Tenet Healthcare Corporation), Manteca, CA — $22,245.03
  10. Northern Regional Hospital, Mount Airy, NC — $22,118.53

Look up the ER visit cost for heart palpitations for a hospital

Want to check out the ER visit cost at a specific hospital? Use Goodbill’s free hospital directory to look up ER visit costs for the treatment of heart palpitations, UTIs, headaches, and food poisoning, at more than 6,000 hospitals across the country.

How this data is calculated

Goodbill calculates these prices by analyzing the underlying hospital procedures and services that are generally used to treat an ailment, based on proprietary claims data. Individual procedure and service prices are taken by looking up the corresponding procedure codes in the pricing data published by hospitals in machine-readable files, as required under the Hospital Price Transparency final rule that took effect in January 2021. Insured prices are calculated using the median negotiated rates with insurers; uninsured prices are calculated using cash rates.

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