Emergency room codes

An emergency-room bill almost always splits into two separate charges for the same visit: a facility fee (the hospital) and a professional fee (the physician). On top of that, the visit is assigned a level — from 3 (moderate) to 5 (highest) — and that level is the single biggest driver of what you're charged. ER bills are also where the federal No Surprises Act most often applies. The codes below explain each level, what separates one from the next, and how to check whether yours was set higher than your visit justified.

• 99283 Emergency department visit, moderate level (level 3 of 5)
• 99284 Emergency department visit, high-moderate level (level 4 of 5)
• 99285 Emergency department visit, highest level (level 5 of 5)