INSIGHTS

ER Visit Cost for UTI Treatment: 
Most Expensive Hospitals

PUBLISHED on february 17, 2022

The average national ER visit cost for the treatment of a UTI is $2,215 for patients with insurance, and $2,474 for patients without insurance. However, some hospitals are publishing prices up to 10 to 20 times higher, according to Goodbill’s price analysis of more than 2,500 hospitals across the country.

Most common charges for UTI treatment

UTIs, or urinary tract infections, are one of the most common drivers of emergency room visits, and the cost of treatment can quickly add up. An ER visit for a UTI 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: 

  • Ultrasound scan
  • Drugs and injections
  • Urine test, or urinalysis 
  • Comprehensive blood test
  • Lipase test
  • ER visit level 4

Hospitals charge an “ER visit level” fee based on the complexity of the treatment, and a higher level means a higher fee. UTIs are generally billed as an ER visit level 4, on a scale of 1 to 5.

UTIs are generally billed as an ER visit level 4, on a scale of 1 to 5. A higher level means a higher fee.

Most expensive states for ER visit for UTI, with insurance

Here is the median ER visit cost for the treatment of UTI 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 UTI, with insurance

Here are the 10 most expensive hospitals in the country for the treatment of UTI, for patients with insurance. The Indiana University Health hospital system dominated this list, accounting for seven out of 10 hospitals.

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 4," or 99284, to define multiple types of services ranging from the standard emergency room service to the more costly trauma service.

  1. Grady Memorial Hospital, Chickasha, OK — $23,070.78
  2. South Baldwin Regional Medical Center (Community Health Systems), Foley, AL — $16,777.99
  3. IU Health Paoli Hospital (Indiana University Health), Paoli, IN — $14,323.49
  4. Jay County Hospital (Indiana University Health), Portland, IN — $13,602.77
  5. IU Health Bloomington Hospital (Indiana University Health), Bloomington, IN — $13,368.53
  6. IU Health Tipton Hospital (Indiana University Health), Tipton, IN — $13,173.48
  7. IU Health Bedford Hospital (Indiana University Health), Bedford, IN — $13,047.25
  8. IU Health Blackford Hospital (Indiana University Health), Hartford City, IN — $13,032.14
  9. IU Health Frankfort Hospital (Indiana University Health), Frankfort, IN — $12,785.33
  10. Mercy Medical Center Redding (Dignity Health), Redding, CA — $12,359.39

10 most expensive hospitals for ER visit for UTI, without insurance

Here are the 10 most expensive hospitals in the country for the treatment of UTI, 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 4," or 99284, 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 (Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center), Loma Linda, CA — $40,355.00
  2. Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta (Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center), Murrieta, CA — $40,355.00
  3. Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center), Loma Linda, CA — $40,355.00
  4. Northern Regional Hospital, Mount Airy, NC — $22,653.86
  5. South Baldwin Regional Medical Center (Community Health Systems), Foley, AL — $22,643.32
  6. Florida Hospital Carrollwood (Adventist Health System), Tampa, FL — $20,494.61
  7. Doctors Medical Center of Modesto (Tenet Healthcare Corporation), Modesto, CA — $20,481.81
  8. Doctors Hospital of Manteca (Tenet Healthcare Corporation), Manteca, CA — $18,798.90
  9. Valley Baptist Medical Center - Brownsville (Tenet Healthcare Corporation), Brownsville, TX — $17,684.86
  10. Longview Regional Medical Center (Community Health Systems), Longview, TX — $17,465.02

Look up the ER visit cost for UTI 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 UTIs, headaches, heart palpitations, 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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