Columbus, OH MSA

Columbus 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.

$366

6.33x 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.

$651

6x 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.

$1,132

5.67x 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.

$2,106

6.74x 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.

$3,078

7.32x Medicare rate

Cash Price Coverage

15 of 18 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.

Columbus ER Cash Price Map

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Showing 1-5 of 18 ER locations

Showing 1-10 of 18 ER locations

Ohiohealth Morrow County HospitalGovernment - Local

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$168

Below average

ER level 2

$238

Below average

ER level 3

$416

Below average

ER level 4

$657

Below average

ER level 5

$984

Below average

Overall rating: Not available
Dataset version: 2025-10-22

Licking Memorial HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$254

Below average

ER level 2

$502

Below average

ER level 3

$679

Below average

ER level 4

$900

Below average

ER level 5

$1,252

Below average

Overall rating: 2 stars
Dataset version: 03/16/2026

Hocking Valley Community HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Other

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$299

Below average

ER level 2

$479

Below average

ER level 3

$706

Below average

ER level 4

$1,056

Below average

ER level 5

$1,751

Below average

Overall rating: Not available
Dataset version: 11/8/2024

Fairfield Medical CenterVoluntary non-profit - Other

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$388

Around average

ER level 2

$388

Below average

ER level 3

$804

Below average

ER level 4

$1,263

Below average

ER level 5

$1,722

Below average

Overall rating: 2 stars
Dataset version: 2026-02-26

Memorial HospitalGovernment - Local

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$291

Below average

ER level 2

$572

Below average

ER level 3

$904

Below average

ER level 4

$1,302

Below average

ER level 5

$1,744

Below average

Overall rating: 5 stars
Dataset version: 03/06/2026

Emergency room cost data by facility
Facility Name	Overall Rating	ER service level cash price					Dataset Version
Facility Name	Overall Rating						Dataset Version
Ohiohealth Morrow County HospitalGovernment - Local	Not available	$168 Below average	$238 Below average	$416 Below average	$657 Below average	$984 Below average	2025-10-22
Licking Memorial HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	2 stars	$254 Below average	$502 Below average	$679 Below average	$900 Below average	$1,252 Below average	03/16/2026
Hocking Valley Community HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Other	Not available	$299 Below average	$479 Below average	$706 Below average	$1,056 Below average	$1,751 Below average	11/8/2024
Fairfield Medical CenterVoluntary non-profit - Other	2 stars	$388 Around average	$388 Below average	$804 Below average	$1,263 Below average	$1,722 Below average	2026-02-26
Memorial HospitalGovernment - Local	5 stars	$291 Below average	$572 Below average	$904 Below average	$1,302 Below average	$1,744 Below average	03/06/2026
Berger HospitalGovernment - Local	2 stars	$353 Around average	$579 Below average	$917 Below average	$1,515 Below average	$2,173 Below average	2026-04-01
Grady Memorial HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	4 stars	$408 Above average	$891 Above average	$1,442 Above average	$1,788 Below average	$2,220 Below average	2026-04-01
Doctors HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Church	4 stars	$437 Above average	$718 Above average	$1,136 Around average	$1,879 Below average	$2,694 Below average	2026-04-01
Grant Medical CenterVoluntary non-profit - Church	3 stars	$437 Above average	$718 Above average	$1,136 Around average	$1,879 Below average	$2,694 Below average	2026-04-01
Riverside Methodist HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	4 stars	$437 Above average	$718 Above average	$1,136 Around average	$1,879 Below average	$2,694 Below average	2026-04-01

Showing 1-10 of 18 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 Columbus?

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.

Ohio medical-debt rules

Medical-debt credit reporting: No broad state ban. Only the voluntary bureau and federal baseline applies.
Wage garnishment: Federal baseline only. No additional state protection.
Deadline to sue (statute of limitations): 6 years for written contracts.

State medical debt rules

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