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National price data · 1,261 hospitals

Trauma team activation cost

What a trauma team activation costs across the U.S. — and the fair price to aim for.

Pillar 1 · The BaseRate™ CompositeHow 1.00× Fair BaseRate Works: Raw price averages unfairly penalize hospitals in high-wage cities or trauma centers treating sicker patients. We adjust for local CMS hospital wage levels and patient complexity first. A 1.00× score means right at the fair price average, 0.85× means 15% cheaper than fair market, and 1.30× means 30% above fair market.Near Fair BaseRate Benchmark
1.00×vs. Fair Market Price
Position vs. 1.00× Fair PriceRight at U.S. Average (0%) 1.00× (center of the bar) is the U.S. fair price average after accounting for local hospital wages and patient complexity. Left of center (<1.00×) is below fair price; right of center (>1.00×) is above fair price.

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

Pillar 2 · VeriRate™ Data TrustHow VeriRate™ (0–100) Works: Hospitals are legally required to publish machine-readable price files, but some bury fake $0.01 numbers or omit cash discounts. VeriRate audits each file across 5 checks (hover any badge below to see what it tests).86/100 · Verified
86/100Hover Any Check Below to See How Prices Were Audited
File Completeness90Provenance (File Completeness): Checks whether the hospital published a complete, up-to-date machine-readable price file with valid CPT and MS-DRG billing codes instead of leaving blanks.
Price Logic88Coherence (Price Logic): Checks whether the hospital’s numbers make basic sense — e.g., self-pay cash price is lower than gross list price, with no fake $0.01 or $999,999 placeholder numbers.
Peer Alignment86Concordance (Peer Alignment): Checks whether reported prices sit in a realistic range compared to Medicare and nearby hospitals rather than wild 100× unit errors.
Clean Billing83Regularity (Clean Billing): Checks whether rates are structured consistently across procedures without erratic statistical spikes or hidden unbundled facility fees.
Real Cash Discount84Cash Honesty (Real Cash Discount): Checks whether the hospital offers a genuine self-pay cash discount that beats or matches commercial insurance rates instead of billing full sticker price.
Pillar 3 · Clinical Quality & ER SpeedChecks whether higher hospital prices actually buy better clinical quality — combining CMS Star Ratings, hospital safety scores, and emergency room wait times.Regional Value Leader
CMS Star RatingNot RatedOfficial CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating (1 to 5 stars) summarizing mortality, safety of care, readmissions, and patient experience.
Safety ScoreNot ScoredComposite patient safety score (0–100) derived from CMS hospital-acquired infection rates (CLABSI, CAUTI, MRSA, C. diff), surgical complications, and HCAHPS surveys.
Typical ER WaitNo ER DataMedian minutes patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, as reported to CMS Timely and Effective Care.

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

Behavioral Pricing FingerprintUpper-Quartile Spread · +51% Tail Jump

Wide Procedure Spread · Upper-Quartile Skew Pricer

This hospital prices routine shoppable procedures at 2.9× Medicare (median 1.95× Fair BaseRate) while upper-quartile commercial rates jump +51% to 2.94× Fair BaseRate. Self-pay cash discounts and comparing specific CPT procedure codes before scheduling yield the strongest savings.

#16 of 23 in ND · 65th State Percentile#3,148 of 3,385 in U.S. · 92nd National Percentile
Advantage

Where They're Good (Patient & Payer Edge)

  • Bottom-quartile procedures (Q25) price at 1.11× the peer BaseRate benchmark
  • Self-pay cash beats commercial insurance on 4% of shoppable procedures (25/100 Cash Honesty)
  • CMS clinical safety score (72/100 safety score) with 81% patient recommendation
  • Binding Good Faith Estimate rights under 45 CFR § 149.610 protect self-pay patients before scheduling
Watchout

Where You Can Get Burned (Markup Traps)

  • Outpatient surgery & OR suites carry a 1.4× markup over Medicare rates
  • Commercial insurance median sits at 1.95× Fair BaseRate (2.9× Medicare), so insured patients should always compare the self-pay cash price before paying.
  • Upper-quartile procedures (Q75 2.94×) jump +51% above the median procedure ratio (Q50 1.95×)
  • Unnegotiated chargemaster list prices average 5.0× Medicare (33¢ true HCRIS cost per $1 gross)
Front-Door ShoppableElective / Imaging
2.9× Medicare

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

Back-Door Captive & ER0.28× Divergence
0.8× Medicare

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

Quantile Tail Spread+51% Upper Tail
Q25 1.11× · Q50 1.95× · Q75 2.94×

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
2.9× MedicareFair
Outpatient Surgery & ORBack-Door Captive
1.4× MedicareGood
Diagnostic Imaging (CT/MRI)Front-Door Shoppable
2.6× MedicareFair
Back-Door Captive ER VisitsBack-Door Captive
4.2× MedicareElevated
Inpatient Lab & PathologyBack-Door Captive
4.0× MedicareElevated
Specialty & Infusion Drugs (J-Codes)Back-Door Captive
2.2× MedicareFair
Self-Pay Cash Honesty & 501(r)Integrity & Outcomes
4% Cash Edge · 25/100Watchout
CMS Clinical Safety & Star ValueIntegrity & Outcomes
3 CMS · 72/100Fair
National Geographic Price Intelligence · 50-State + DC/PR Cartogram

National State Price Index Heatmap · Trauma team activation

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
PR0.77×1.1× MedAL0.83×0.9× MedKY0.88×0.9× MedOH0.88×0.9× MedME0.89×0.9× MedNC0.90×1.0× MedAR0.91×1.0× MedND0.91×1.0× MedTN0.91×1.0× MedVT0.91×1.0× MedCO0.92×1.0× MedIA0.92×1.0× MedKS0.92×1.0× MedMO0.92×1.0× MedOK0.93×1.0× MedPA0.94×1.0× MedSD0.95×1.0× MedWI0.95×1.0× MedWV0.95×1.0× MedMI0.96×1.0× MedMN0.96×1.0× MedUT0.97×1.0× MedAZ0.98×1.1× MedIN0.98×1.0× MedWY0.98×1.1× MedLA0.99×1.1× MedNE1.00×1.1× MedIL1.02×1.1× MedFL1.03×1.1× MedNJ1.03×1.1× MedAK1.05×1.1× MedMS1.05×1.1× MedNH1.06×1.1× MedHI1.08×1.2× MedSC1.08×1.1× MedCT1.09×1.2× MedMT1.11×1.2× MedOR1.13×1.2× MedNY1.15×1.2× MedNV1.17×1.2× MedID1.20×1.3× MedMA1.20×1.3× MedMD1.20×1.2× MedCA1.22×1.3× MedNM1.27×1.4× MedDC1.31×1.9× MedTX1.36×1.5× MedDE1.49×1.6× MedGA1.59×1.7× MedVA1.62×1.7× MedWA1.77×1.9× MedRI1.89×2.0× Med
5 Lowest-Price States (Confounder-Isolated Value Leaders)
PR0.77×(1.1×)AL0.83×(0.9×)KY0.88×(0.9×)OH0.88×(0.9×)ME0.89×(0.9×)
5 Highest-Markup States (Strict Bill Audit Recommended)
RI1.89×(2.0×)WA1.77×(1.9×)VA1.62×(1.7×)GA1.59×(1.7×)DE1.49×(1.6×)
The BaseRate high confidence
$1,495
the fair national price for a trauma team activation
typically $1,242–$2,903 across 1,261 hospitals · how we calculate it
modeled estimate · not a bill or quote
1,261
hospitals priced
49
states
2.3×
price spread — where shopping matters
1.1×
vs. Medicare

Across 1,261 hospitals in 49 states, a trauma team activation has a fair BaseRate of $1,495 and typically costs $1,242–$2,903. The cheapest state is AL; the priciest is RI.

Cheapest hospitals for a trauma team activation

Trauma team activation cost by state

AK $1,526 2 hospitals AL $1,199 20 hospitals AR $1,321 22 hospitals AZ $1,431 26 hospitals CA $1,767 52 hospitals CO $1,335 41 hospitals CT $1,582 7 hospitals DE $2,161 3 hospitals FL $1,494 49 hospitals GA $2,313 25 hospitals HI $1,568 11 hospitals IA $1,342 28 hospitals ID $1,750 13 hospitals IL $1,478 36 hospitals IN $1,428 11 hospitals KS $1,335 17 hospitals KY $1,273 19 hospitals LA $1,442 21 hospitals MA $1,745 23 hospitals ME $1,293 11 hospitals MI $1,388 52 hospitals MN $1,389 55 hospitals MO $1,333 16 hospitals MS $1,526 41 hospitals MT $1,618 6 hospitals NC $1,311 35 hospitals ND $1,323 11 hospitals NE $1,447 24 hospitals NH $1,535 4 hospitals NJ $1,500 30 hospitals NM $1,839 7 hospitals NV $1,702 5 hospitals NY $1,664 54 hospitals OH $1,285 49 hospitals OK $1,347 31 hospitals OR $1,645 14 hospitals PA $1,362 48 hospitals RI $2,740 3 hospitals SC $1,565 37 hospitals SD $1,380 4 hospitals TN $1,326 24 hospitals TX $1,977 150 hospitals UT $1,403 21 hospitals VA $2,350 17 hospitals VT $1,316 2 hospitals WA $2,574 25 hospitals WI $1,382 44 hospitals WV $1,378 12 hospitals WY $1,430 3 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™ $1,495
Medicare Rate $867
Self-Pay Cash Request Quote
Insurer Median $1,453
Pre-filled with U.S. Hospital Benchmark’s charged/list benchmark
Screened against 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines
2026 FPL: $15,650 + $5,500 per additional person
Step 1 · 501(r) Charity Care Check 501(r) AGB Cap: $1,266 (274% FPL)

Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $1,266

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 = $1,266).

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 +$1,992 Above Fair BaseRate

Negotiate Toward $1,495 Fair BaseRate ($867 Medicare)

Your bill ($3,487) is $1,992 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($1,495) and 4.0× the $867 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.