About 10% of visits to the ER were for non-emergencies. So, you should call your own doctor first if in doubt.

In N. Central NJ in 2006 my doctor charges from $77 (simple exam. e.g. upper respaaritory) to $165 (Something that requires more tests or time). An EKG is $88 extra.
An ER visit at Somerset Medical Center starts at $1,000

Some Samples from The Minnesota Council of Health Plans, 2005.

Medical Treatment	Description	Cost
Treatment/Exams
A common cold, office visit	You feel rotten, go to the doctor and are told to go home, get plenty of rest and drink fluids.	$80
A common cold, ER visit	You feel rotten, and instead of going to your clinic during the day, you wait until midnight and go to the ER.	$181
Sore throat, office visit	Your throat hurts, you go to the doctor. Price includes visit with physician and Strep test. Test was negative.	$109
Sore throat, ER visit	ItŐs the middle of the night and your throat really hurts. You decide to go the emergency room. Includes ER charges and test for Strep. The test was negative.	$406
Ear ache, Urgent Care visit	Your 2-year-old daughter is pulling on her ear. You go to Urgent Care. Visit and exam. No infection is diagnosed.	$111
Ear ache, ER visit	Your 2-year-old daughter is pulling on her ear. You go to the emergency room. ER visit and exam. No infection is diagnosed.	$151
Chest X-ray	You go to the clinic with a bad cough. Your physician thinks it may be pneumonia and orders a set of X-rays to help make the diagnosis. Price includes clinic visit, X-ray and reading of the results.	$183
Allergic reaction to a bee sting	Price includes the ER visit and diagnosis, in addition to drugs to treat allergic reaction. Treatment could also include a hospital stay for a severe reaction.	$1,050
Broken ankle	You broke your ankle playing soccer. Includes trip to the ER, X-ray of ankle and applying short leg cast.	$1,386
Step on a rusty nail	You step on a nail while taking a walk. Price includes laceration on foot, ER fee, repair, tetanus shot or antibiotics if needed.	$1,030
Broken arm	Your child jumped off the swing set. Price includes ER visit, X-ray, simple cast.	$2,523
Procedures
Colonoscopy	Full, flexible colon scope test conducted by specialist on an outpatient basis. Includes test and reading of the results.	$1,985
Skin cancer diagnosis	A black, purple odd shaped mark on your arm requires a consultation with a specialist, biopsy and removal of skin lesion.	$1,533
Stress test	Your primary care doctor orders a stress test. This price includes a trip to the specialist, administering test, reading results.	$1,885
Eye exam	Exam by ophthalmologist.	$176
PAP test	Woman of childbearing age, includes exam by gynecologist, test and reading of results.	$229
Routine mammogram	Women 35 and older, includes the test and reading of results.	$125
General physical, charges vary by age:	Exam of a person in good health. Simply a physical, not a problem-focused clinic visit.
	Well-baby check	$134
	Age 5 to16	$232
	Age 18 to 39	$302
	Age 40 to 64	$371
	Age 65 and older	$323

In 2004, total national health expenditures rose 7.9 percent -- over three times the rate of inflation.

Insurance:
Average cost 2004: $6,280
The annual premium that a health insurer charges an employer for a health plan covering a family of four averaged $10,800 in 2005. Workers contributed $2,713, or 10 percent more than they did in 2004.
In 2005, employer health insurance premiums increased by 9.2 percent. (Source: Health Insurance Cost at The National Coalition on Health Care.)

HMO - health maintenance organizations
PPO - preferred provider organizations

A 2005 Consumer Reports survey found that:

• HMOs scored slightly higher in overall satisfaction than PPOs
• People in HMOs had more trouble obtaining care than members of PPOs.
• Nearly one-third of all PPO members reported billing problems, nearly three times the rate for people in HMOs.

In 2004, the United States spent 16 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care. It is projected that the percentage will reach 20 percent in the next decade
Health care spending accounted for 10.9 percent of the GDP in Switzerland, 10.7 percent in Germany, 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent in France, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Glossary:
CHC - Community Health Care Center ED - Emergency Department ER - Emergency Room HMO - health maintenance organizations
OPD - outpatient departments PPO - preferred provider organizations

Links:
How Much Does It Cost? at Minnesota Council of Health Plans, 2005.
Health Insurance Cost at The National Coalition on Health Care