Headache Cost in California — Compare All Hospitals
Severe or persistent headaches, such as migraine, that need hospital care for relief. The stay typically involves IV medications and tests to rule out more serious causes.
State average
$47,318
gross charge · DRG 103
Hospitals
37
with published pricing
Price range
$5,525 – $90,256
low to high
Hospitals ranked by gross charge
- 1
San Joaquin General Hospital
French Camp, CA
Gross charge $5,525Cash pay $3,039 - 2
Scripps Mercy Hospital
San Diego, CA
Gross charge $25,691Cash pay $6,423 - 3
Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
La Jolla, CA
Gross charge $25,691Cash pay $6,423 - 4
Scripps Green Hospital
La Jolla, CA
Gross charge $25,691Cash pay $6,423 - 5
Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas
Encinitas, CA
Gross charge $25,691Cash pay $6,423 - 6
Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley
Tehachapi, CA
Gross charge $27,554Cash pay $7,440 - 7
Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital
Hollister, CA
Gross charge $28,290 - 8
Kaweah Health Medical Center
Visalia, CA
Gross charge $30,252Cash pay $7,000 - 9
Adventist Health White Memorial Montebello
Montebello, CA
Gross charge $30,258 - 10
Tri-City Medical Center (Acute Care)
Oceanside, CA
Gross charge $33,353Cash pay $20,012 - 11
Regional Medical Center
San Jose, CA
Gross charge $37,321Cash pay $26,124 - 12
Alameda Hospital
Alameda, CA
Gross charge $37,764Cash pay $18,882 - 13
Highland Hospital
Oakland, CA
Gross charge $37,764Cash pay $18,882 - 14
Adventist Health Tulare
Tulare, CA
Gross charge $38,501Cash pay $7,315 - 15
Fairchild Medical Center
Yreka, CA
Gross charge $42,248 - 16
Natividad Medical Center
Salinas, CA
Gross charge $42,434 - 17
Adventist Health Ukiah Valley
Ukiah, CA
Gross charge $42,462Cash pay $8,492 - 18
Adventist Health Clear Lake
Clearlake, CA
Gross charge $45,446Cash pay $16,361 - 19
El Centro Regional Medical Center
El Centro, CA
Gross charge $45,574Cash pay $31,902 - 20
Adventist Health Hanford
Hanford, CA
Gross charge $47,063Cash pay $8,942 - 21
Eisenhower Medical Center
Rancho Mirage, CA
Gross charge $49,693Cash pay $4,637 - 22
Adventist Health Howard Memorial
Willits, CA
Gross charge $50,232Cash pay $15,070 - 23
Washington Health
Fremont, CA
Gross charge $50,512Cash pay $32,833 - 24
Saint Agnes Medical Center
Fresno, CA
Gross charge $52,756Cash pay $34,292 - 25
Adventist Health Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA
Gross charge $52,825Cash pay $7,924 - 26
Adventist Health Sonora
Sonora, CA
Gross charge $56,848Cash pay $9,664 - 27
Sharp Grossmont Hospital
La Mesa, CA
Gross charge $58,047Cash pay $43,535Medicare pays (avg) $7,577 - 28
Sharp Memorial Hospital
San Diego, CA
Gross charge $58,047Cash pay $43,535 - 29
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center
Chula Vista, CA
Gross charge $58,047Cash pay $43,535 - 30
Sharp Coronado Hospital
Coronado, CA
Gross charge $58,047Cash pay $43,535 - 31
Redlands Community Hospital
Redlands, CA
Gross charge $58,564Cash pay $14,055 - 32
Adventist Health and Rideout
Marysville, CA
Gross charge $60,898Cash pay $13,397 - 33
Riverside University Health System Medical Center
Moreno Valley, CA
Gross charge $70,359 - 34Gross charge $81,121Cash pay $5,678
- 35
San Antonio Regional Hospital
Upland, CA
Gross charge $81,338Cash pay $82,965 - 36
Adventist Health White Memorial
Los Angeles, CA
Gross charge $88,617Cash pay $15,951 - 37
Sonoma Valley Hospital
Sonoma, CA
Gross charge $90,256Cash pay $63,179 - 38
St. Rose Hospital
Hayward, CA
Gross charge — - 39
Dignity Health - Mercy General Hospital
Sacramento, CA
Gross charge — - 40
Riverside Community Hospital
Riverside, CA
Gross charge —Medicare pays (avg) $9,720 - 41
Mad River Community Hospital
Arcata, CA
Gross charge — - 42
Oroville Hospital
Oroville, CA
Gross charge — - 43
Dignity Health - Memorial Hospital
Bakersfield, CA
Gross charge — - 44
St Elizabeth Community Hospital
Red Bluff, CA
Gross charge — - 45
San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital
Banning, CA
Gross charge — - 46
Antelope Valley Medical Center
Lancaster, CA
Gross charge — - 47
Glendale Mem Hospital & Hlth Center
Glendale, CA
Gross charge — - 48
St. John's Regional Medical Center
Oxnard, CA
Gross charge — - 49
St Joseph's Medical Center of Stockton
Stockton, CA
Gross charge — - 50
Community Hospital of San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA
Gross charge — - 51
Community Hospital of Huntington Park
Huntington Park, CA
Gross charge — - 52
St. Francis Medical Center
Lynwood, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $8,632 - 53
Marian Regional Medical Center (Acute Care)
Santa Maria, CA
Gross charge — - 54
Northridge Hospital Medical Center (Acute Care)
Northridge, CA
Gross charge — - 55
Valley Presbyterian Hospital
Van Nuys, CA
Gross charge — - 56
Woodland Memorial Hospital
Woodland, CA
Gross charge — - 57
St Bernardine Medical Center
San Bernardino, CA
Gross charge — - 58
San Gabriel Valley Medical Center
San Gabriel, CA
Gross charge — - 59
Dignity Health - Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
Grass Valley, CA
Gross charge — - 60
UCSF Health Saint Francis Hospital
San Francisco, CA
Gross charge — - 61
Sequoia Hospital
Redwood City, CA
Gross charge — - 62
AHMC Anaheim Regional Medical Center
Anaheim, CA
Gross charge — - 63
French Hospital Medical Center
San Luis Obispo, CA
Gross charge — - 64
Dignity Health - Dominican Hospital
Santa Cruz, CA
Gross charge — - 65
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
Colton, CA
Gross charge — - 66
Good Samaritan Hospital, Lp
Bakersfield, CA
Gross charge — - 67
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Gross charge —Medicare pays (avg) $12,501 - 68
Alhambra Hospital Medical Center (Acute Care)
Alhambra, CA
Gross charge — - 69
AHMC Seton Medical Center
Daly City, CA
Gross charge — - 70
Dignity Health – Mercy Hospital Downtown
Bakersfield, CA
Gross charge — - 71
Providence St. Mary Medical Center
Apple Valley, CA
Gross charge — - 72
Loma Linda University Medical Center (Acute Care)
Loma Linda, CA
Gross charge — - 73
Marinhealth Medical Center
Greenbrae, CA
Gross charge — - 74
Community Memorial Hospital - Ventura
Ventura, CA
Gross charge — - 75
Dignity Health - Mercy Hospital of Folsom
Folsom, CA
Gross charge — - 76
West Anaheim Medical Center
Anaheim, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $12,198 - 77
Huntington Hospital (Acute Care)
Pasadena, CA
Gross charge — - 78
Dignity Health – Mercy Medical Center
Merced, CA
Gross charge — - 79
UCSF Health St. Mary's Hospital
San Francisco, CA
Gross charge — - 80
Memorial Hospital of Gardena
Gardena, CA
Gross charge — - 81
UCLA West Valley Medical Center
West Hills, CA
Gross charge — - 82
Clovis Community Medical Center
Clovis, CA
Gross charge — - 83
Adventist Health Sierra Vista
San Luis Obispo, CA
Gross charge — - 84
Mercy San Juan Medical Center
Carmichael, CA
Gross charge — - 85
Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center (Acute Care — Thousand Oaks)
Thousand Oaks, CA
Gross charge — - 86
La Palma Intercommunity Hospital (Acute Care)
La Palma, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $11,456 - 87
San Dimas Community Hospital
San Dimas, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $10,671 - 88
Methodist Hospital of Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
Gross charge — - 89
East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital
Los Angeles, CA
Gross charge — - 90
Fresno Surgical Hospital
Fresno, CA
Gross charge — - 91
Desert Valley Hospital
Victorville, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $11,584 - 92
Whittier Hospital Medical Center
Whittier, CA
Gross charge — - 93
Monterey Park Hospital AHMC
Monterey Park, CA
Gross charge — - 94
Greater El Monte Community Hospital
South El Monte, CA
Gross charge — - 95
Cedar-Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital
Marina Del Rey, CA
Gross charge — - 96
Shasta Regional Medical Center
Redding, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $10,802 - 97
Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta
Murrieta, CA
Gross charge — - 98
Coast Plaza Hospital
Norwalk, CA
Gross charge — - 99
Loma Linda University Children's Hospital
Loma Linda, CA
Gross charge — - 100
Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital
Los Angeles, CA
Gross charge — - 101
Colusa Medical Center
Colusa, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $1,515 - 102
Glenn Medical Center
Willows, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $662 - 103
Mountains Community Hospital
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Gross charge — - 104
Mercy Medical Center of Mount Shasta
Mount Shasta, CA
Gross charge — - 105Gross charge —Cash pay $13,394
- 106
Seneca District Hospital
Chester, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $1,015 - 107
Mark Twain Medical Center
San Andreas, CA
Gross charge — - 108
Community Memorial Hospital – Ojai
Ojai, CA
Gross charge — - 109
Coalinga Regional Medical Center
Coalinga, CA
Gross charge —Cash pay $1,715 - 110
Community Regional Medical Center
Fresno, CA
Gross charge —Medicare pays (avg) $7,494 - 111
Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center & Orthopaedic Hospital
Santa Monica, CA
Gross charge — - 112
Doctors Hospital of Manteca
Manteca, CA
Gross charge — - 113
Watsonville Community Hospital
Watsonville, CA
Gross charge — - 114
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Newport Beach, CA
Gross charge — - 115
Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
Pomona, CA
Gross charge — - 116
Desert Regional Medical Center (Acute Care)
Palm Springs, CA
Gross charge — - 117
Sierra View Medical Center
Porterville, CA
Gross charge — - 118
Hi-Desert Medical Center
Joshua Tree, CA
Gross charge — - 119
Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley
Pleasanton, CA
Gross charge — - 120
Northbay Medical Center
Fairfield, CA
Gross charge — - 121
Los Angeles General Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Gross charge — - 122
Good Samaritan Hospital (Acute Care — San Jose)
San Jose, CA
Gross charge — - 123
Stanford Health Care
Stanford, CA
Gross charge —Medicare pays (avg) $9,578 - 124
UCSF Medical Center
San Francisco, CA
Gross charge —Medicare pays (avg) $12,366 - 125
University of California Davis Medical Center
Sacramento, CA
Gross charge — - 126
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA
Gross charge —Medicare pays (avg) $8,831 - 127
San Ramon Regional Medical Center
San Ramon, CA
Gross charge — - 128
Keck Hospital of USC
Los Angeles, CA
Gross charge —
California hospitals price headache (Medicare DRG 103) anywhere from $5,525 to $90,256 — a $84,731 gap between the cheapest and most expensive option. The cheapest is San Joaquin General Hospital in French Camp; the most expensive is Sonoma Valley Hospital in Sonoma. The state average sits at $47,318.
Gross charges are list prices, not what most patients pay. Insurance plans negotiate substantial discounts, Medicare and Medicaid pay fixed federal rates, and uninsured patients can usually qualify for a cash-pay discount. But the gross charge still works as a useful benchmark: a hospital that lists headache at twice the price of another typically negotiates higher rates with insurers too, and quotes more for uninsured patients.
You usually don't choose a hospital during an urgent headache admission. This page is for the planning side: patients with chronic conditions weighing their options, caregivers picking ahead of time, or employers comparing in-network facilities. Click any hospital name for its full quality profile — CMS overall star rating, mortality and readmission rates, patient-experience scores. When two nearby hospitals look similar on quality, the one with lower published charges is the safer default for routine medical admissions.
Pricing comes from each hospital's Machine-Readable File (MRF), published under the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule. California hospitals missing from the list either don't perform headache in volume, haven't published a usable price for DRG 103 in their most recent MRF, or fell below our data-quality thresholds (we filter out clearly erroneous entries like $0 charges). The list refreshes as hospitals update their files.