How Much Do Stitches Cost?

Stitches are loop threads used by doctors to suture separate edges of a cut, to help the wound heal, and to minimize the scarring. This medical procedure is required for serious injuries and incisions from surgical procedures.

In this article, we will break down the costs of getting stitches as an insured or uninsured patient.

How Much Do Stitches Cost?

The cost of stitches in the United States is anywhere from $200 up to $3,000+ for patients who are not covered by health insurance. However, this price will vary greatly depending on your geographical location, the severity of the wound, the number of stitches, and the facility where you get the procedure done. On average, the cost for uninsured patients to get stitches at an urgent care facility is usually between $165 to $415.

Patients who benefit from health insurance coverage, on the other hand, typically are exempt from paying the fee for stitches. However, individuals may still have to deal with several other costly payments. These fees often cover copayments for doctor visits or emergency room visits, with medical procedures costing between 10% and 50% of the insurance cost.

In the table below, you will find the names of some centers and their specific costs for stitches for patients without insurance:

Keep in mind that these costs are considered estimates and can be influenced by your geographical location, the healthcare provider, and the complexity of the injury.

According to SolvHealth.com, the average cost of getting stitches at an urgent care center is somewhere around $275, for uninsured patients.

In Florida, Solantic Baptist Urgent Care will charge about $239 for a stitching service.

Another provider across the United States, Maryland’s Salisbury Urgent Care & Injury Center will charge a $365 fee for wound stitches.

However, take into consideration that patients must pay a set charge that includes the doctor’s fee and operation materials at these emergency centers.

Located in California, Doctor on Demand, an urgent care medical service group charges for stitching a minor laceration a fee of $150, $200 for a moderate wound, and around $250 for a serious wound closure.

Another medical facility, named Playa Vista Medical Center, charges somewhere around $266 for a two-inch wound. They may provide discounts based on the payment method.

Based on the medical center, each facility has its own system of charging based on different factors. For instance, Arizona’s Health Quest Family Medicine will charge around $120 for stitching a laceration no longer than three centimeters. For closing a cut between three and six centimeters in length, the cost will be $250, while for any laceration longer than three centimeters, the cost will be around $310.

You might also like our articles on the cost of anesthesia, health insurance, or emergency room visits without insurance.

On the other hand, going to an emergency room to get stitches, tends to be more expensive. For example, based on current studies, the cost of getting your finger stitched is around $927, for a hand you will usually pay around $1,063, while for forehead stitches you can expect to pay somewhere around $1,665.

According to some recent online comments, a patient located in Austin, Texas, paid no less than $2,390 for five stitches for his forehead wound. Another patient located in St. Augustine, Florida, commented that the 14 stitches for his arm, cost $1,847.47.

However, a more expensive situation had a patient pay as much as $34,179 for dissolvable stitches used in the surgery.

As stated above, the cost of getting stitches will heavily vary depending on whether you have health insurance, the insurance coverage, the severity and dimension of your wound, and also on the facility where the procedure is done.

Getting stitches overview

In case you have an unfortunate accident that may lead to an open wound that needs medical intervention, it is recommended to pay a visit to the doctor’s office.

First, the doctor will evaluate whether there is a need for stitches, staples, or adhesives, based on the severity of the laceration. After deciding which is the right course of action, typically, a local anesthetic will be applied.

If stitches are chosen, the doctor will position the stitches precisely so that the wound will recover with minimum scarring. Closing a wound with stitches will require specific methods and special thread materials for the effective healing of the patient.

Additional Costs

Emergency rooms charge separate expenses for the stitching procedure, facility leasing, type of material used, and the doctor’s rate, which usually differs based on each specific case.

When it comes to extra costs, you should budget an additional $30 to $70 in case of tetanus shot administration at an urgent care center. However, you can expect the cost to be much higher if the additional treatment is provided in an emergency room facility.

Another possible extra expense that may reach hundreds of dollars, is getting the stitches removed by another doctor, in case the actual stitching procedure is done in an emergency room.

However, the usual cost of the removal of stitches or even staples is standard and is usually included in the original quote, regardless of whether the procedure is done in an urgent care clinic or by professionals.

Important things about the cost of stitches

A wound may require stitches and this will probably be an urgent matter, which is why you should visit an urgent care center or emergency room as soon as possible so that you can receive proper medical treatment. Typically, these types of facilities are ready to offer instant medical aid.

Meanwhile, if the laceration does not require immediate medical attention, a family physician or a medical facility may be able to assist you on an appointment basis.

Another alternative to consider in finding hospitals near your location is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It provides a tool that will offer you the benefit of comparing emergency services provided by the nearest hospital based on your location. To assess this,  you will only need to submit your geographical location zip code, and the nearest hospitals will appear.

How to save money?

Several health providers, both hospitals and professional doctors, may provide patients who are not health-covered and can pay cash, discounts of up to 30% of the overall cost.

At California’s Washington Hospital Healthcare System, for example, there is a 35% promo discount for the stitching procedure. However, some requirements need to be met for this discount to be applied.

Consider checking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to find discounted care charges. They operate through a locator which may supply several discounts calculated according to the income of each patient.