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Emergency Department Visit, Level 1 (Lowest)

Washington, DC rates for HCPCS 99281

An emergency department visit at the lowest of the five visit levels. It is the only level not defined by the complexity of medical decisions, and a physician or other clinician does not have to attend the patient in person.

Rates data updated July 2026.

How much does Emergency Department Visit, Level 1 (Lowest) cost?

$20.42

Typical physician fee. In Washington, DC, July 2026.

Insurers have agreed to pay about $20.42 for this service. Most negotiated rates run $10.96 to $47.86.

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

Professionalmedian $20 · 10th to 90th $9 to $59
$10$20$50professional $20

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
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$8.32
Median
$19.95
Typical High
$58.88
Aetna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
25 · Same-day visit
Typical Low
$33.88
Median
$33.88
Typical High
$33.88
CareFirst
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$11.48
Median
$12.88
Typical High
$25.12
Cigna
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$9.55
Median
$24.55
Typical High
$51.29
Kaiser Permanente
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$11.22
Median
$13.18
Typical High
$25.12
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
Global
Typical Low
$14.45
Median
$22.91
Typical High
$48.98
United
Setting
Professional
Modifier
25 · Same-day visit
Typical Low
$85.11
Median
$85.11
Typical High
$85.11

Where Washington, DC sits

The same service costs 2.7 times more in Vermont than in Wyoming. Every bar is a state, most expensive first. Touch or drag across it to read any state, then open that state for its carriers and full range.

Washington, DC· 39th of 51

$20.42

VT $43.65WY $16.22

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.