U.S. Health Care Price Index
October 2023

The U.S. Health Care Price Index (USHPI) is the first national resource to publicly document the price of cash-pay medical care in America.

It features real pricing data for routine medical services in all 50 states – from primary care and mental health to women’s health and more - with additional prices and specialties to be added over time. In addition to regional and state comparisons, the USHPI tracks price variance and market trends on a monthly basis.

Until now, pricing data for healthcare services has been out-of-reach; now, just like price databases for commodities like gasoline, air travel and insurance, there is a database for understanding the recent cash price of a COVID screening visit, urgent care and many other medical prices in any state or region.

Simply put, the cash price is what a doctor or health care provider charges a consumer when a third-party payer - like insurance or a governmental entity - is not involved in the transaction.

This could be because a patient does not have insurance, is underinsured or chooses to pay their provider directly, without involving a middleman.

In October, the average cash price of a primary care telehealth appointment in the United States, with a doctor or nurse practitioner, was $44.80. Kansas was the most affordable state in which to book a visit ($40.90), and Hawaii was the most expensive ($59.74). All regions of the country paid below average for primary care appointments.

Mental health visits in October averaged $46.45 across the country. Most affordable mental health consults that month were found in Washington, D.C. ($37.00), New Hampshire ($38.50) and Maine ($38.50); states paying the highest were New Jersey ($61.73) and Washington ($61.38).

Americans who paid cash for a prescription refill appointment paid an average of $44.40 in October. Patients in Vermont ($38.20) and Maryland ($40.29) paid the least for an appointment. Highest prices were found in Mississippi ($54.76) and Alabama ($53.95).