Which code will my first visit be billed as?

That is decided by the doctor after the visit based on time and complexity. A straightforward visit for one issue is usually 99203; a longer visit covering several conditions or new medications is usually 99204. 99205 is reserved for very complex first visits of an hour or more.

Is the negotiated rate what I will pay?

Only if you are on a high-deductible plan and have not met your deductible. Otherwise you typically pay a fixed copay (often $20–$50 for primary care) and the insurer pays the remainder of the negotiated rate.

Why do rates for the same visit vary so much between doctors?

Negotiated rates are set by contract between the insurer and each practice or health system. Large health systems generally negotiate higher rates than independent practices, and rates also vary by region.

California · New patient visit

How much does a new patient visit cost in California?

The median negotiated rate for a new patient office visit, moderate-complexity decision-making, 45–59 minutes (CPT 99204) among 407 California primary care doctors with published rates is $262, ranging from $93 to $371. UnitedHealthcare in-network rates, February 2026.

$262

Median · CPT 99204

$93

Lowest listed

$371

Highest listed

407

Doctors reporting

About This Visit

A new patient visit is your first appointment with a primary care doctor. It is billed with one of four codes, 99202 through 99205, depending on how long the visit runs and how complex your medical situation is. Most first visits with a new primary care doctor bill as 99203 or 99204.

The rates below are what UnitedHealthcare has agreed to pay each doctor for that visit, including both the insurer’s share and your share. If you have a deductible you have not met, you may owe the full negotiated rate. If you have a copay, you pay the copay and the insurer pays the rest.

Rates by Visit Code

Visit	Median	Lowest	Highest	Doctors
New patient office visit, straightforward decision-making, 15–29 minutes CPT: 99202	$118	$40	$169	338
New patient office visit, low-complexity decision-making, 30–44 minutes CPT: 99203	$176	$69	$250	406
New patient office visit, moderate-complexity decision-making, 45–59 minutes CPT: 99204	$262	$93	$371	407
New patient office visit, high-complexity decision-making, 60–74 minutes CPT: 99205	$346	$70	$487	349

Computed across California doctors listed on this site who report the code. Your first appointment with this doctor. The code depends on how long the visit runs and how complex your situation is.

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By City

Median across doctors listed on this site in each city. Cities with at least three doctors reporting the code.

City	New patient visit, 30–44 min (99203)	New patient visit, 45–59 min (99204)	Doctors
San Francisco	$218$151–$218	$322$132–$322	19
Fullerton	$176$176–$176	$262$262–$262	18
San Diego	$250$128–$250	$371$178–$371	17
Mission Viejo	$176$149–$176	$262$221–$262	16
Long Beach	$180$180–$180	$271$271–$271	11
Fremont	$178$167–$218	$269$269–$322	10
Los Angeles	$213$131–$244	$341$195–$370	10
Oakland	$218$128–$218	$322$191–$322	10
Bakersfield	$134$128–$157	$199$199–$238	9
San Jose	$175$175–$175	$208$208–$208	9
Torrance	$180$180–$180	$271$271–$271	9
Covina	$180$180–$180	$271$271–$271	8
Fountain Valley	$154$154–$180	$209$209–$271	8
Santa Barbara	$204$128–$204	$260$220–$260	8
Walnut Creek	$198$198–$218	$293$293–$322	8
Anaheim	$180$154–$180	$271$209–$275	7
Fresno	$207$169–$207	$308$251–$308	7
Newport Beach	$166$121–$176	$246$181–$262	7
Pasadena	$180$176–$180	$271$262–$271	7
Santa Rosa	$176$164–$176	$262$182–$262	7
Yorba Linda	$176$176–$176	$262$262–$262	7
Brea	$176$176–$176	$262$262–$262	5
Huntington Beach	$176$154–$180	$262$209–$271	5
Napa	$176$151–$176	$262$229–$262	5
San Ramon	$198$198–$198	$293$293–$293	5

Lowest and Highest

393 doctors report CPT 99204. Full lists for each city are on the city pages.

Lowest negotiated rates

Dr. Kausalya Bhaskarabhatla, MD
Antioch
$93
Dr. Sultan Chopan, MD
Oroville4.6(10)
$117
Dr. Pamela De Silva, MD
Palmdale3.5(28)
$132
Dr. Hani Salib, MD
Palm Springs
$142
Dr. David Wine, MD
Vista
$144
Dr. Gregory Tirdel, MD
Truckee
$166
Dr. Mobin Ghavami, MD
Lodi3.9(27)
$169
Dr. Martha Lozano, MD
Chula Vista3.0(183)
$178
Dr. Keven Tagdiri, MD
Encinitas4.9(155)
$178
Dr. Elahe Toulouie, MD
La Mesa2.3(62)
$178

Highest negotiated rates

Dr. Lee Remington-Boone, MD
La Mesa
$371
Dr. Adam Pacal, MD
San Diego
$371
Dr. Scott Mercer, MD
Encinitas
$371
Dr. Stephen Lee, MD
San Diego
$371
Dr. Aristotelis Laliotis, MD
Del Mar
$371
Dr. Carlos Jimenez-Grillo, MD
Chula Vista
$371
Dr. Robert Holmes, MD
San Diego
$371
Dr. Lisa Gleason, MD
Del Mar
$371
Dr. Sarah Coskun, MD
San Diego
$371
Dr. Farschad Birdjandi, MD
Chula Vista
$371

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Questions

What is the average cost of a new patient office visit, moderate-complexity decision-making, 45–59 minutes in California?: Across 407 California primary care doctors with doctor-level rates, the median UnitedHealthcare negotiated rate for CPT 99204 is $262, ranging from $93 to $371.
Which code will my first visit be billed as?: That is decided by the doctor after the visit based on time and complexity. A straightforward visit for one issue is usually 99203; a longer visit covering several conditions or new medications is usually 99204. 99205 is reserved for very complex first visits of an hour or more.
Is the negotiated rate what I will pay?: Only if you are on a high-deductible plan and have not met your deductible. Otherwise you typically pay a fixed copay (often $20–$50 for primary care) and the insurer pays the remainder of the negotiated rate.
Why do rates for the same visit vary so much between doctors?: Negotiated rates are set by contract between the insurer and each practice or health system. Large health systems generally negotiate higher rates than independent practices, and rates also vary by region.