How much is the average hospital bill?
Asked by: Laurence Green | Last update: May 28, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (34 votes)
What is the average hospital bill in the US?
The cost of a hospital stay varies, depending on the diagnosis, whether surgery was involved, and more. In 2021, the average hospital stay cost $13,262. Aside from surgery costs, the type of treatment needed while hospitalized can increase costs dramatically.
What is the average cost per day to stay in a hospital?
How Much Does It Cost To Stay in the Hospital? The national average cost of hospital stays per night is $3,025, but individual states can have dramatically different costs. For example, Mississippi has the lowest cost per night at $1,425, while California averages $4,337 per night.
What is the average utility bill for a hospital?
The average commercial electricity rate in the US is 11.33 cents per kWh (EIA November 2021). That makes the average monthly electricity bill for a hospital around $72,295.
Why is my hospital bill so high?
Elements that contribute to the high cost of medical bills include surprise medical bills, administrative costs, rising doctors' fees, the high cost of surgical procedures and diagnostic tests, and soaring drugs costs.
How much does a hospital stay cost?
Can you pay monthly for hospital bills?
Check with your provider to see if they would be willing to set up a payment plan. The payment plan will allow you to break the bill into multiple payments over a set amount of time, until the bill is fully paid. Make sure to ask for a payment plan that you can actually afford.
How much does 1 week in ICU cost?
Mean intensive care unit cost and length of stay were 31,574 +/- 42,570 dollars and 14.4 days +/- 15.8 for patients requiring mechanical ventilation and 12,931 +/- 20,569 dollars and 8.5 days +/- 10.5 for those not requiring mechanical ventilation.
How much does an IV cost at the hospital without insurance?
Depending on the medication type and dosage, the cost of infusion therapy can range from $200 to $1,000 or more per treatment, with many patients needing multiple weekly or monthly treatments. For perspective, a year of infusion therapy treatment can cost anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.
How much do 3 nights in a hospital cost?
It's easy to underestimate how much medical care can cost: Fixing a broken leg can cost up to $7,500. The average cost of a 3-day hospital stay is around $30,000.
What are the biggest expenses for hospitals?
While percentages vary from hospital to hospital, across the board the biggest expense for hospitals are wages and benefits which on average account for 56% of the total expense of a hospital. It is nearly 5 times more than any other category, with the second largest expenditure being professional fees at 11.9%.
Does insurance cover hospital stays?
A set of 10 categories of services health insurance plans must cover under the Affordable Care Act. These include doctors' services, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, prescription drug coverage, pregnancy and childbirth, mental health services, and more. Some plans cover more services.
What if I need surgery but can't afford my deductible?
In cases like this, we recommend contacting your insurance, surgeon, or hospital and asking if they can help you with a payment plan. Remember that your surgery provider wants to get paid so they may be very willing to work with you on a payment plan.
What is considered a long hospital stay?
Our primary outcome variable was prolonged hospitalization, defined as any hospitalization with a length of stay of 21 days or more, consistent with prior analyses.
How much does it cost a hospital when a patient dies?
Overall, the costs of hospitalizations ending in death were $17.6 billion, which accounted for 5.1 percent of total inpatient hospital costs in the U.S. in 2007. Hospital stays ending in death on average cost $23,017, which was 2.7 times higher than for inpatients discharged alive.
Why are hospital stays so expensive?
Healthcare is often very expensive, especially for Americans. There are many factors that contribute to the high cost of healthcare in the country including wasteful systems, rising drug costs, medical professional salaries, profit-driven healthcare centers, types of medical practices, and health-related pricing.
Why is my Er bill so high?
Is this based on severity? Hospitals will bill you for a line item called “ER Visit Level” that is based on the complexity of your treatment. ER visit levels range from 1-5: ER visit level 1 is the most mild, while ER visit level 5 is the most severe.
How to lower an er bill?
How long do hospitals give you to pay a bill?
30 days once it's sent to the collectors it's no longer in the hospital's hands you have to just pay the bill or they'll just put it on your credit 30 days is Max in just about every state that I know of if you want to avoid that timeline set up a good faith payment they'll accept a small amount and once they do you ...
Should I negotiate my hospital bill?
If your bill is correct but higher than you can afford or think is appropriate, it's time to negotiate. First, call your provider's billing department and ask whether they offer financial assistance, since many hospitals and health systems provide free or discounted care to certain patients.
Can I sue a hospital for overcharging?
Yes, you can sue a hospital for false billing. First, there are a series of internal challenges and appeals that you can undergo with the hospital. If there is an insurance company involved, they can be included in appeals as well.
Do hospital bills go away?
And here's one more caveat: While unpaid medical bills will come off your credit report after seven years, you may still be legally responsible for them depending on the statute of limitations.