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Same-Day Hospital Or Observation Care, Lower Level

California rates for HCPCS 99234

Covers a doctor's assessment and management of a patient who is placed under hospital or observation care and sent home on the same calendar day, taking in both the admission work and the discharge. It applies to the more straightforward end of these same-day stays, where the problem and the decisions involved are less complex.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Same-Day Hospital Or Observation Care, Lower Level cost?

$170

Typical facility fee. In California, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $170 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $141 to $214.

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 8 insurance carriers under federal price transparency rules.

How much rates vary

Facilitymedian $174 · 10th to 90th $135 to $407Professionalmedian $107 · 10th to 90th $81 to $234
$50.0$100.0$200.0$500.0$1.0Kfacility $174professional $107

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
Aetna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$109.65
Median
$125.89
Typical High
$144.54
Anthem BCBS
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$141.25
Median
$177.83
Typical High
$446.68
Cigna
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$102.33
Median
$102.33
Typical High
$102.33
Contra Costa Health
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$74.13
Median
$97.72
Typical High
$131.83
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$83.18
Median
$109.65
Typical High
$263.03
Lucent Health
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$794.33
Median
$794.33
Typical High
$794.33
Providence
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$93.33
Median
$144.54
Typical High
$263.03
United
Setting
Facility
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$107.15
Median
$131.83
Typical High
$134.90

Where California sits

The same service costs 4.4 times more in Maine than in Alabama. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Pick one to see its carriers and full range.

California $170 · 14th of 49
ME $331AL $75.86

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.