News ‘Really astonishing’: Average cost of hospital ER visit surges 176% in a decade, report says June 4, 2019Ken Alltucker, USA TODAYComments Off on ‘Really astonishing’: Average cost of hospital ER visit surges 176% in a decade, report says The average emergency room visit cost $1,389 in 2017, up 176%, according to a report by the Health Care Cost Institute. Billing codes are part of it.