San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA MSA

San Francisco Bay Area 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.

$537

9.51x 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.

$1,108

10.37x 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.

$2,318

12.15x 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.

$3,844

13.37x 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.

$5,807

14.16x Medicare rate

Cash Price Coverage

28 of 36 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.

San Francisco Bay Area ER Cash Price Map

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Showing 1-5 of 36 ER locations

Showing 1-10 of 36 ER locations

Ahmc Seton Medical CenterVoluntary non-profit - Church

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$488

Around average

ER level 2

$1,144

Around average

ER level 3

$1,710

Below average

ER level 4

$3,230

Below average

ER level 5

$5,610

Around average

Overall rating: 1 star
Dataset version: 2026-03-31

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco Emergency DepartmentVoluntary non-profit - OtherPediatric ER

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$173

Below average

ER level 2

$355

Below average

ER level 3

$638

Below average

ER level 4

$1,534

Below average

ER level 5

$2,173

Below average

Overall rating: 5 stars
Dataset version: 2026-04-01

UCSF Medical CenterVoluntary non-profit - Other

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$173

Below average

ER level 2

$355

Below average

ER level 3

$638

Below average

ER level 4

$1,534

Below average

ER level 5

$2,173

Below average

Overall rating: 5 stars
Dataset version: 2026-04-01

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital OaklandVoluntary non-profit - PrivatePediatric ER

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$286

Below average

ER level 2

$498

Below average

ER level 3

$974

Below average

ER level 4

$1,624

Below average

ER level 5

$2,755

Below average

Overall rating: Not available
Dataset version: 2026-04-01

Chinese HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private

ER service level cash price

ER level 1

$531

Around average

ER level 2

$730

Below average

ER level 3

$1,365

Below average

ER level 4

$2,145

Below average

ER level 5

$3,074

Below average

Overall rating: 3 stars
Dataset version: 2026-04-13

Emergency room cost data by facility
Facility Name	Overall Rating	ER service level cash price					Dataset Version
Facility Name	Overall Rating						Dataset Version
Ahmc Seton Medical CenterVoluntary non-profit - Church	1 star	$488 Around average	$1,144 Around average	$1,710 Below average	$3,230 Below average	$5,610 Around average	2026-03-31
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco Emergency DepartmentVoluntary non-profit - OtherPediatric ER	5 stars	$173 Below average	$355 Below average	$638 Below average	$1,534 Below average	$2,173 Below average	2026-04-01
UCSF Medical CenterVoluntary non-profit - Other	5 stars	$173 Below average	$355 Below average	$638 Below average	$1,534 Below average	$2,173 Below average	2026-04-01
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital OaklandVoluntary non-profit - PrivatePediatric ER	Not available	$286 Below average	$498 Below average	$974 Below average	$1,624 Below average	$2,755 Below average	2026-04-01
Chinese HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	3 stars	$531 Around average	$730 Below average	$1,365 Below average	$2,145 Below average	$3,074 Below average	2026-04-13
Sequoia HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	5 stars	$606 Above average	$808 Below average	$1,314 Below average	$2,374 Below average	$5,052 Below average	2026-02-28
Stanford Health Care Tri-ValleyVoluntary non-profit - Private	4 stars	$447 Below average	$709 Below average	$1,324 Below average	$2,592 Below average	$4,131 Below average	2026-04-01
Kaiser Foundation HospitalVoluntary non-profit - Private	4 stars	$472 Below average	$872 Below average	$1,622 Below average	$2,713 Below average	$4,220 Below average	4/1/2026
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - AntiochVoluntary non-profit - Private	3 stars	$472 Below average	$872 Below average	$1,622 Below average	$2,713 Below average	$4,220 Below average	4/1/2026
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - FremontVoluntary non-profit - Private	4 stars	$472 Below average	$872 Below average	$1,622 Below average	$2,713 Below average	$4,220 Below average	4/1/2026

Showing 1-10 of 36 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 San Francisco Bay Area?

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.

California medical-debt rules

Medical-debt credit reporting: State law limits furnishing, reporting, and use of medical-debt information in credit decisions, effective July 1, 2025.
Wage garnishment: More protective than federal. Generally 20% of disposable earnings, with a hardship claim available.
Deadline to sue (statute of limitations): 4 years for written contracts.

State medical debt rules

Nearby ER Cost Guides

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