How much does a Breathing treatment (nebulizer) typically cost in the United States?

Across 1,874 U.S. hospitals in 52 states, the modeled national fair BaseRate for Breathing treatment (nebulizer) is $166, with most hospital negotiated prices falling between $41 and $308.

Why do hospital prices for Breathing treatment (nebulizer) vary across facilities?

Commercial rates are negotiated individually between hospital systems and insurers, creating wide local dispersion even within the same metro area. Comparing facility-specific cash and in-network rates before scheduling care helps avoid overpaying.

National price data · 1,874 hospitals

Breathing treatment (nebulizer) cost

What a breathing treatment (nebulizer) costs across the U.S. — and the fair price to aim for.

Near Fair BaseRate Benchmark

1.00×vs. Fair Market Price

Typical commercial prices here match the fair market benchmark (1.00×) after accounting for local nurse/doctor wages and patient complexity.

86/100 · Verified

86/100Hover Any Check Below to See How Prices Were Audited

File Completeness90

Price Logic88

Peer Alignment86

Clean Billing83

Real Cash Discount84

Regional Value Leader

Balances commercial hospital prices against CMS clinical safety, infection control, and patient experience.

Behavioral Pricing FingerprintConsistent Department Multiples

Aligned Regional Benchmark Peer

Regional West Medical Center prices shoppable and inpatient services (0.8× to 1.1× Medicare, divergence 1.38×) in alignment with regional hospital peers (0.94× Fair BaseRate). Reviewing plan-specific negotiated rates and cash discounts helps lock in the lowest out-of-pocket tier.

#5 of 60 in NE · 6th State Percentile#930 of 3,385 in U.S. · 27th National Percentile

Advantage

Where They're Good (Patient & Payer Edge)

Elective shoppable care is priced 6% below peer Fair BaseRate (0.94×)
Self-pay cash beats commercial insurance on 48% of shoppable procedures (99/100 Cash Honesty)
2-Star CMS clinical rating with 46% patient recommendation (55/100 safety score)
IRS 501(c)(3) charity care provides free care up to 200% FPL and discounted care up to 400% FPL (26.2% AGB cap)

Watchout

Where You Can Get Burned (Markup Traps)

Even at low-cost facilities (1.00× Fair BaseRate), out-of-network or unnegotiated chargemaster bills can exceed commercial medians — confirm in-network status or request a self-pay cash quote up front.
Captive ER (0.9×) & laboratory (2.8×) services average 1.38× higher multiples than routine shoppable care (0.8×)
Specialty infusion drugs (J-codes) average 1.3× Medicare — verify per-unit billing on itemized statements
Consolidated metro market (HHI 10,000) limits in-network hospital competition (Highly Concentrated Monopoly (>2,500))

Front-Door ShoppableElective / Imaging

0.8× Medicare

Pre-scheduled outpatient procedures where patients can comparison-shop.

Back-Door Captive & ER1.38× Divergence

1.1× Medicare

Emergency, inpatient DRG, lab, and specialty drug lines billed after admission.

Quantile Tail Spread+5% Upper Tail

Q25 0.65× · Q50 0.99× · Q75 1.04×

Detects median-gaming when upper-quartile codes spike above the p50 median.

Select any lens to inspect department markups, federal cost accounting, or insurer discounts.

Department & Integrity Multiples (vs. CMS Medicare Cost Anchor) Green ≤1.3× · Teal 1.3–1.8× · Amber 1.8–2.5× · Rose >2.5×

Front-Door Shoppable CareFront-Door Shoppable

0.8× MedicareGood

Outpatient Surgery & ORBack-Door Captive

0.5× MedicareGood

Diagnostic Imaging (CT/MRI)Front-Door Shoppable

2.4× MedicareFair

Back-Door Captive ER VisitsBack-Door Captive

0.9× MedicareGood

Inpatient Lab & PathologyBack-Door Captive

2.8× MedicareFair

Specialty & Infusion Drugs (J-Codes)Back-Door Captive

1.3× MedicareGood

Self-Pay Cash Honesty & 501(r)Integrity & Outcomes

48% Cash Edge · 99/100Good

CMS Clinical Safety & Star ValueIntegrity & Outcomes

2 CMS · 55/100Elevated

National Geographic Price Intelligence · 50-State + DC/PR Cartogram

National State Price Index Heatmap · Breathing treatment (nebulizer)

State commercial price index vs. U.S. median (1.00×) and average Medicare multiple across all 53 priced states & territories

<0.93× Below Fair Price 0.93–1.05× Near Average 1.05–1.18× Elevated >1.18× High-Cost State

AK1.05× 24.4× Med ME0.52× 12.0× Med WA1.63× 37.7× Med ID0.99× 22.8× Med MT0.87× 20.0× Med ND0.89× 20.5× Med MN0.94× 21.8× Med WI0.58× 13.4× Med MI0.44× 10.3× Med VT0.35× 3.9× Med NH0.50× 11.5× Med OR1.23× 28.6× Med NV1.20× 27.9× Med WY0.85× 1.0× Med SD1.08× 25.1× Med IA0.37× 8.5× Med IL1.15× 26.6× Med IN0.35× 2.9× Med OH1.03× 23.8× Med PA1.01× 23.5× Med NY0.85× 19.7× Med MA1.30× 30.1× Med CA1.39× 32.3× Med UT0.48× 11.1× Med CO1.01× 23.5× Med NE0.75× 17.3× Med MO1.04× 24.1× Med KY0.67× 15.4× Med WV0.87× 20.2× Med VA1.04× 24.2× Med MD1.20× 1.2× Med NJ1.20× 27.9× Med CT0.45× 10.4× Med AZ1.08× 25.0× Med NM1.09× 25.3× Med KS0.62× 14.3× Med AR0.91× 21.0× Med TN0.99× 22.9× Med NC0.77× 17.7× Med SC0.95× 21.9× Med DE1.43× 33.1× Med DC1.23× 28.6× Med RI1.09× 25.2× Med OK1.07× 24.8× Med LA0.70× 16.2× Med MS0.98× 22.7× Med AL0.97× 22.5× Med GA1.09× 25.2× Med HI1.23× 28.6× Med TX1.17× 27.2× Med FL0.54× 12.4× Med PR0.35× 2.3× Med

IN0.35×2.9× Med PR0.35×2.3× Med VT0.35×3.9× Med IA0.37×8.5× Med MI0.44×10.3× Med CT0.45×10.4× Med UT0.48×11.1× Med NH0.50×11.5× Med ME0.52×12.0× Med FL0.54×12.4× Med WI0.58×13.4× Med KS0.62×14.3× Med KY0.67×15.4× Med LA0.70×16.2× Med NE0.75×17.3× Med NC0.77×17.7× Med NY0.85×19.7× Med WY0.85×1.0× Med MT0.87×20.0× Med WV0.87×20.2× Med ND0.89×20.5× Med AR0.91×21.0× Med MN0.94×21.8× Med SC0.95×21.9× Med AL0.97×22.5× Med MS0.98×22.7× Med ID0.99×22.8× Med TN0.99×22.9× Med CO1.01×23.5× Med PA1.01×23.5× Med OH1.03×23.8× Med MO1.04×24.1× Med VA1.04×24.2× Med AK1.05×24.4× Med OK1.07×24.8× Med AZ1.08×25.0× Med SD1.08×25.1× Med GA1.09×25.2× Med NM1.09×25.3× Med RI1.09×25.2× Med IL1.15×26.6× Med TX1.17×27.2× Med MD1.20×1.2× Med NJ1.20×27.9× Med NV1.20×27.9× Med DC1.23×28.6× Med HI1.23×28.6× Med OR1.23×28.6× Med MA1.30×30.1× Med CA1.39×32.3× Med DE1.43×33.1× Med WA1.63×37.7× Med

5 Lowest-Price States (Confounder-Isolated Value Leaders)

IN0.35×(2.9×)PR0.35×(2.3×)VT0.35×(3.9×)IA0.37×(8.5×)MI0.44×(10.3×)

5 Highest-Markup States (Strict Bill Audit Recommended)

WA1.63×(37.7×)DE1.43×(33.1×)CA1.39×(32.3×)MA1.30×(30.1×)OR1.23×(28.6×)

The BaseRate high confidence

$166

the fair national price for a breathing treatment (nebulizer)

typically $41–$308 across 1,874 hospitals · how we calculate it

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

1,874

hospitals priced

states

7.5×

price spread — where shopping matters

23.2×

vs. Medicare

Across 1,874 hospitals in 52 states, a breathing treatment (nebulizer) has a fair BaseRate of $166 and typically costs $41–$308. The cheapest state is PR; the priciest is WA.

Cheapest hospitals for a breathing treatment (nebulizer)

Breathing treatment (nebulizer) cost by state

AK $212 4 hospitals AL $195 33 hospitals AR $182 30 hospitals AZ $217 26 hospitals CA $280 157 hospitals CO $204 40 hospitals CT $90 11 hospitals DC $248 4 hospitals DE $287 5 hospitals FL $108 107 hospitals GA $219 56 hospitals HI $248 9 hospitals IA $74 50 hospitals ID $198 10 hospitals IL $231 71 hospitals IN $25 34 hospitals KS $124 64 hospitals KY $134 34 hospitals LA $141 62 hospitals MA $261 27 hospitals ME $104 11 hospitals MI $89 39 hospitals MN $189 38 hospitals MO $209 49 hospitals MS $197 35 hospitals MT $174 8 hospitals NC $154 39 hospitals ND $178 13 hospitals NE $150 37 hospitals NH $100 5 hospitals NJ $242 39 hospitals NM $220 10 hospitals NV $242 12 hospitals NY $171 47 hospitals OH $207 70 hospitals OK $215 41 hospitals OR $248 18 hospitals PA $204 85 hospitals PR $20 3 hospitals RI $219 3 hospitals SC $190 34 hospitals SD $218 7 hospitals TN $199 58 hospitals TX $236 175 hospitals UT $96 22 hospitals VA $210 38 hospitals VT $34 7 hospitals WA $327 36 hospitals WI $116 52 hospitals WV $175 7 hospitals

Inline Bill X-Ray & 501(r) Calculator 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · Free Care ≤200% FPL · AGB Cap 36.3%

Audit a Bill or Quote at U.S. Hospital Benchmark (Zero PHI Required)

Fair BaseRate™ $166

Medicare Rate $96

Self-Pay Cash Request Quote

Insurer Median $201

1. Amount on Your Bill or Quote ($) Pre-filled with U.S. Hospital Benchmark’s charged/list benchmark

2. Household Annual Income ($) Screened against 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines

3. Household Size (1–8) 2026 FPL: $15,650 + $5,500 per additional person

Step 1 · 501(r) Charity Care Check 501(r) AGB Cap: $175 (274% FPL)

Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $175

At 274% FPL (201%–400% FPL tier), 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) caps FAP-eligible bills at Amounts Generally Billed (36.3% of gross = $175).

Step 2 · Cash vs. Insurance Arbitrage Request Prompt-Pay Quote

Compare Prompt-Pay Cash Rate Against Remaining Deductible

Ask U.S. Hospital Benchmark's billing desk for their written 45 CFR § 180 discounted self-pay cash price and Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act.

Step 3 · Fair BaseRate Target +$316 Above Fair BaseRate

Negotiate Toward $166 Fair BaseRate ($96 Medicare)

Your bill ($482) is $316 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($166) and 5.0× the $96 Medicare rate.

1-Click Factual Dispute Summary: Copy a citation-backed benchmark memo (with CMS CCN, CPT code, Medicare reference, Fair BaseRate, and 26 U.S.C. § 501(r) calculations) to paste into patient-portal messages or billing appeals.