Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA

Austin ER Visit Cost

This page is for uninsured patients or those with high deductibles who want to compare ER prices before they go. It's also useful after a visit for comparing charges and negotiating with the hospital. The ER level fee is typically one of the highest line items on a facility bill.

ER Level 1 Average Cash Price

ER level 1: Usually a very limited emergency department service. The services are provided by ancillary staff rather than the same physician or qualified health professional structure used for higher ED visit levels.

$373

7.1x Medicare rate

ER Level 2 Average Cash Price

ER level 2: Straightforward medical decision making: a minimal problem, no tests or records analyzed, and negligible risk from the management options considered.

$630

6.72x Medicare rate

ER Level 3 Average Cash Price

ER level 3: Low medical decision making: low-complexity problems such as multiple minor issues, a stable chronic problem, or a straightforward acute illness or injury, with limited data review and below-average management risk.

$990

5.68x Medicare rate

ER Level 4 Average Cash Price

ER level 4: Moderate medical decision making: a worsening chronic problem, multiple stable chronic problems, an undiagnosed higher-risk new problem, unexpected acute symptoms, or a complex injury, with moderate data workup and average management risk.

$1,959

7.5x Medicare rate

ER Level 5 Average Cash Price

ER level 5: High medical decision making: a severe chronic problem or an acute or chronic problem or injury that may threaten life or bodily function, with extensive data review and above-average management risk such as hospitalization or urgent high-risk treatment decisions.

$2,976

7.94x Medicare rate

Cash Price Coverage

18 of 21 ER locations

Last UpdatedJun 10, 2026

Big ER Bill? What To Do Now

ER Visit Cost without Insurance

ER visit costs can vary as they can include a facility fee, clinician bill, labs, imaging, medication, transport, and insurance-specific out-of-pocket responsibility. We compare ER cost based on one service every ER visit would have: Level of Emergency Department visit for the evaluation and management of a patient. These figures are source data points, not guarantees of the final bill.

Austin ER Cash Price Map

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Showing 1-5 of 21 ER locations

Showing 1-10 of 21 ER locations

St David's South Austin Medical CenterProprietary

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$529

Above average

ER level 2

$961

Above average

ER level 3

$1,825

Above average

ER level 4

$3,745

Above average

ER level 5

$5,318

Above average

Overall rating: 4 stars
Dataset version: 2026-03-01

Northwest Hills Surgical HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$112

Below average

ER level 2

$201

Below average

ER level 3

$352

Below average

ER level 4

$541

Below average

ER level 5

$778

Below average

Overall rating: Not available
Dataset version: 3/30/2025

Ascension Seton HaysVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$190

Below average

ER level 2

$336

Below average

ER level 3

$408

Below average

ER level 4

$1,027

Below average

ER level 5

$1,764

Below average

Overall rating: 5 stars
Dataset version: 01/01/2026

Ascension Seton Smithville HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$190

Below average

ER level 2

$336

Below average

ER level 3

$412

Below average

ER level 4

$1,027

Below average

ER level 5

$1,764

Below average

Overall rating: Not available
Dataset version: 01/01/2026

Ascension Seton Williamson HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$190

Below average

ER level 2

$336

Below average

ER level 3

$408

Below average

ER level 4

$1,027

Below average

ER level 5

$1,764

Below average

Overall rating: 4 stars
Dataset version: 01/01/2026

Emergency room cost data by facility
Facility Name	Overall Rating	ER service level cash price					Dataset Version
Facility Name	Overall Rating						Dataset Version
St David's South Austin Medical CenterProprietary	4 stars	$529 Above average	$961 Above average	$1,825 Above average	$3,745 Above average	$5,318 Above average	2026-03-01
Northwest Hills Surgical HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	Not available	$112 Below average	$201 Below average	$352 Below average	$541 Below average	$778 Below average	3/30/2025
Ascension Seton HaysVoluntary non-profit - Private	5 stars	$190 Below average	$336 Below average	$408 Below average	$1,027 Below average	$1,764 Below average	01/01/2026
Ascension Seton Smithville HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	Not available	$190 Below average	$336 Below average	$412 Below average	$1,027 Below average	$1,764 Below average	01/01/2026
Ascension Seton Williamson HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	4 stars	$190 Below average	$336 Below average	$408 Below average	$1,027 Below average	$1,764 Below average	01/01/2026
Ascension Seton Edgar B DavisVoluntary non-profit - Private	Not available	$165 Below average	$307 Below average	$500 Below average	$1,120 Below average	$1,380 Below average	01/01/2026
Ascension Seton Medical Center AustinVoluntary non-profit - Private	4 stars	$258 Below average	$499 Below average	$627 Below average	$1,126 Below average	$2,007 Below average	01/01/2026
Ascension Seton Northwest HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	4 stars	$258 Below average	$499 Below average	$627 Below average	$1,126 Below average	$2,007 Below average	01/01/2026
Ascension Seton Southwest HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	Not available	$258 Below average	$499 Below average	$627 Below average	$1,126 Below average	$2,007 Below average	01/01/2026
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - BudaVoluntary non-profit - Private	Not available	$347 Around average	$546 Below average	$960 Around average	$1,552 Below average	$2,201 Below average	2026-02-20

Showing 1-10 of 21 ER locations

Data Sources

Cash-price values are from each facility's latest standard charges file published on its website. The average comparison note uses the city average for the same ER service level: around average means within a +/-10% band, above average means more than 10% above, and below average means more than 10% below. Hospital ownership labels and hospital overall ratings come from the CMS Hospital General Information dataset. CMS ratings are a broad summary, not a perfect measure of whether a hospital is best for a specific service.

Why ER level 4 is the default sort

ERcost defaults to ER level 4 because recent commercial ED spending research shows higher-intensity emergency department visit codes now represent a large share of billed visits. This default is based on the Health Affairs study Price Increases Versus Upcoding As Drivers Of Emergency Department Spending Increases, 2012-19 and its ED spending analysis. By 2019, level 4 was the single most common level among ER levels 3, 4, and 5, with level 5 close behind. Level 4 is a practical default for comparison, but actual coding depends on the care documented for a specific visit.

Hit with a big ER bill in Austin?

Start by checking the bill for errors, asking about discounts or financial assistance, and using your state's medical-debt rules before you respond to collections.

What you can do now

Request an itemized bill with billing codes, verify that every charge matches the services you actually received, and check whether your bill qualifies for No Surprises Act protections.
Ask the hospital about cash-pay or lump-sum discounts, and apply for financial assistance if you qualify.
Use FAIR Health or Bill Sherlock to check if your ER bill is reasonable.
Use Dollar For to apply for hospital financial assistance at no cost.
Hire a medical billing advocate to review your bill. Most work on contingency, charging only when they successfully reduce what you owe.
Keep every bill, denial, and collection notice. The dates matter if you need to challenge credit reporting, wage garnishment, or a lawsuit filed too late.

Texas medical-debt rules

Medical-debt credit reporting: Conditional. Providers may report only after specified prerequisites such as advance-estimate requirements. No broad ban.
Wage garnishment: Prohibited. The state constitution bars garnishment of current wages for personal service, with narrow exceptions.
Deadline to sue (statute of limitations): 4 years for debt and contracts.

State medical debt rules

Nearby ER Cost Guides

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