Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH MSA

Boston 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.

$513

7.08x 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.

$776

5.54x 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.

$1,281

5.26x 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.

$1,964

5.31x 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.

$2,725

5.16x Medicare rate

Cash Price Coverage

33 of 41 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.

Boston ER Cash Price Map

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Showing 1-5 of 41 ER locations

Showing 1-10 of 41 ER locations

Winchester HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$662

Above average

ER level 2

$593

Below average

ER level 3

$848

Below average

ER level 4

$1,160

Below average

ER level 5

$1,550

Below average

Overall rating: 3 stars
Dataset version: 2026-04-01

Good Samaritan Medical CenterProprietary

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$214

Below average

ER level 2

$182

Below average

ER level 3

$281

Below average

ER level 4

$600

Below average

ER level 5

$755

Below average

Overall rating: 1 star
Dataset version: 03/13/2026

Melrosewakefield HealthcareVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$389

Below average

ER level 2

$481

Below average

ER level 3

$536

Below average

ER level 4

$660

Below average

ER level 5

$992

Below average

Overall rating: 2 stars
Dataset version: 4/1/2026

Boston Medical Center-BrightonProprietary

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$243

Below average

ER level 2

$201

Below average

ER level 3

$303

Below average

ER level 4

$690

Below average

ER level 5

$868

Below average

Overall rating: 2 stars
Dataset version: 03/13/2026

Lowell General HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$245

Below average

ER level 2

$315

Below average

ER level 3

$560

Below average

ER level 4

$928

Below average

ER level 5

$1,568

Below average

Overall rating: 2 stars
Dataset version: 4/1/2026

Emergency room cost data by facility
Facility Name	Overall Rating	ER service level cash price					Dataset Version
Facility Name	Overall Rating						Dataset Version
Winchester HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	3 stars	$662 Above average	$593 Below average	$848 Below average	$1,160 Below average	$1,550 Below average	2026-04-01
Good Samaritan Medical CenterProprietary	1 star	$214 Below average	$182 Below average	$281 Below average	$600 Below average	$755 Below average	03/13/2026
Melrosewakefield HealthcareVoluntary non-profit - Private	2 stars	$389 Below average	$481 Below average	$536 Below average	$660 Below average	$992 Below average	4/1/2026
Boston Medical Center-BrightonProprietary	2 stars	$243 Below average	$201 Below average	$303 Below average	$690 Below average	$868 Below average	03/13/2026
Lowell General HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	2 stars	$245 Below average	$315 Below average	$560 Below average	$928 Below average	$1,568 Below average	4/1/2026
Boston Medical CenterVoluntary non-profit - Private	3 stars	$444 Below average	$290 Below average	$387 Below average	$950 Below average	$1,122 Below average	03/13/2026
South Shore HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	3 stars	$270 Below average	$519 Below average	$774 Below average	$1,031 Below average	$1,263 Below average	2026-04-01
South Shore Hospital Pediatric Emergency ServiceVoluntary non-profit - PrivatePediatric ER	3 stars	$270 Below average	$519 Below average	$774 Below average	$1,031 Below average	$1,263 Below average	2026-04-01
Emerson Hospital -Voluntary non-profit - Private	3 stars	$557 Around average	$670 Below average	$854 Below average	$1,091 Below average	$1,382 Below average	2026-05-18
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - MiltonGovernment - Federal	4 stars	$252 Below average	$498 Below average	$841 Below average	$1,115 Below average	$1,719 Below average	2026-04-01

Showing 1-10 of 41 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 Boston?

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.

State medical-debt rules in this metro

Massachusetts

Medical-debt credit reporting: No broad state ban. Only the voluntary bureau and federal baseline applies.
Wage garnishment: Among the most protective. Generally 15% of gross wages or the amount above 50 times the greater of the federal or state minimum wage.
Deadline to sue (statute of limitations): 6 years for written contracts.

New Hampshire

Medical-debt credit reporting: No broad state ban. Only the voluntary bureau and federal baseline applies.
Wage garnishment: Effectively prohibited. Wages are exempt and there is no continuous-garnishment mechanism for consumer debts, so a creditor must return to court repeatedly.
Deadline to sue (statute of limitations): 3 years for written contracts.

State medical debt rules

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