Benchmarks › Emergency Department Services
Emergency Department Services: Federal IDR benchmarks
In 2025-Q4 the median prevailing offer for Emergency Department Services (CPT 99281 - 99288) was 334% of the QPA, across 277,058 payment determinations covering 411,335 items or services.
| Quarter | Median prevailing offer, % of QPA | Determinations | Items or services |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-Q1 | 314% | 204,549 | 334,633 |
| 2025-Q2 | 312% | 286,070 | 474,969 |
| 2025-Q3 | 324% | 313,207 | 483,290 |
| 2025-Q4 | 334% | 277,058 | 411,335 |
Source: CMS Federal IDR Supplemental Tables, reporting year 2025 (CMS reports page). Quarterly medians cannot be combined into a yearly median, so each quarter is shown separately.
What this does and does not tell you
A median describes the middle of past outcomes for the whole specialty. It is not a prediction for a specific claim: the QPA band, the plan, the state, the evidence you submit and the entity all matter. Lower-QPA items tend to see higher multiples; see QPA bands.
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