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Observation Care Admission, Straightforward

California rates for HCPCS 99218

The doctor's first full assessment when you are placed under observation in hospital — kept in a bed for monitoring and testing without being formally admitted. It covers the history, examination and plan on the day observation starts, for a problem that is comparatively uncomplicated.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Observation Care Admission, Straightforward cost?

$501

Typical physician fee. In California, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $501 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $148 to $501.

These are rates insurers have negotiated with providers, not the amount a patient is billed. What you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Based on rates published by 5 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $603 · 10th to 90th $603 to $603Professionalmedian $501 · 10th to 90th $76 to $501
$20.0$100.0$500.0$2.0K$10.0Kfacility $603professional $501

Distribution of negotiated rates across all payers (price axis is log-scale). Each curve is scaled to its own total: facility and professional rates are different services, shown together to compare where they cluster. Need provider-level prices or 24+ months of history? Contact us.

Rates by insurance carrier

Insurance Carrier
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$323.59
Median
$389.05
Typical High
$467.74
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$251.19
Median
$446.68
Typical High
$1,698.24
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$602.56
Median
$602.56
Typical High
$602.56
Lucent Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$501.19
Median
$501.19
Typical High
$501.19
Sutter Health Plus
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$257.04
Median
$257.04
Typical High
$257.04
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$15.14
Median
$15.14
Typical High
$66.07
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$63.10
Median
$95.50
Typical High
$169.82

Where California sits

The same service costs 16.6 times more in North Carolina than in South Carolina. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Pick one to see its carriers and full range.

California $501 · 5th of 49
NC $501SC $30.20

Median negotiated rate in each state, from every insurer that publishes one. States where no insurer publishes a rate for this service are not shown.