Georgia hospital Medicare penalties
Which Georgia hospitals Medicare is penalizing for infections and patient-safety problems in fiscal year 2026, and which had more readmissions than expected.
Safety penalty (HAC)27 of 9429% · U.S. 24%
Excess readmissions74 of 88Above expected on 1+ condition
In the programs94Georgia hospitals
Fiscal year2026Penalty year
Every Georgia hospital in the programs
Penalized hospitals first. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | HAC penalty | Readmissions above expected | VBP score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd Medical CenterRome | 1% cut | 5 of 5Highest: COPD 1.12 | 23.5 |
| St Mary's HospitalAthens | 1% cut | 5 of 5Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.51 | 17.8 |
| Emory Decatur HospitalDecatur | 1% cut | 4 of 5Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.18 | 16.4 |
| Emory University HospitalAtlanta | 1% cut | 4 of 6Highest: Heart bypass surgery 1.07 | 39 |
| Medical College of Ga Hospitals and ClinicsAugusta | 1% cut | 4 of 5Highest: Heart failure 1.08 | 11.9 |
| Emory University Hospital MidtownAtlanta | 1% cut | 3 of 5Highest: Heart failure 1.08 | 21 |
| Grady Memorial HospitalAtlanta | 1% cut | 3 of 4Highest: Heart failure 1.11 | 23.6 |
| Northside HospitalAtlanta | 1% cut | 3 of 5Highest: Pneumonia 1.09 | 21.5 |
| Southeast Georgia Reg Med CtrBrunswick | 1% cut | 3 of 5Highest: Pneumonia 1.10 | 14.7 |
| St Joseph's Hospital - SavannahSavannah | 1% cut | 3 of 6Highest: Heart failure 1.03 | 17.8 |
| Tanner Medical Center - CarrolltonCarrollton | 1% cut | 3 of 4Highest: Heart failure 1.14 | 30 |
| John D Archbold Memorial HospitalThomasville | 1% cut | 2 of 5Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.13 | 12.4 |
| North Fulton Regional HospitalRoswell | 1% cut | 2 of 4Highest: COPD 1.02 | 14.8 |
| Northeast Georgia Medical Center, INCGainesville | 1% cut | 2 of 6Highest: Heart bypass surgery 1.07 | 15.2 |
| Northside Hospital CherokeeCanton | 1% cut | 2 of 5Highest: Pneumonia 1.07 | 42.7 |
| Northside Hospital DuluthDuluth | 1% cut | 2 of 3Highest: COPD 1.09 | 29.3 |
| Piedmont Columbus Regional MidtownColumbus | 1% cut | 2 of 4Highest: Pneumonia 1.04 | 23 |
| Stephens County HospitalToccoa | 1% cut | 2 of 3Highest: Pneumonia 1.02 | 45.3 |
| Barrow Regional Medical CenterWinder | 1% cut | 1 of 3Highest: COPD 1.03 | 42.5 |
| Cobb Memorial HospitalRoyston | 1% cut | 1 of 3Highest: Heart failure 1.05 | 27.7 |
| Dorminy Medical CenterFitzgerald | 1% cut | 1 of 2Highest: COPD 1.01 | – |
| Northside Hospital ForsythCumming | 1% cut | 1 of 5Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.01 | 22.9 |
| Wellstar Douglas HospitalDouglasville | 1% cut | 1 of 4Highest: Heart attack 1.00 | 31.8 |
| Candler HospitalSavannah | 1% cut | 0 of 3 | 20.4 |
| Dodge County HospitalEastman | 1% cut | 0 of 1 | – |
| Gordon HospitalCalhoun | 1% cut | 0 of 4 | 45.8 |
| Navicent Health BaldwinMilledgeville | 1% cut | 0 of 3 | 40.9 |
| Memorial Health Univ Med Cen, INCSavannah | No | 5 of 6Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.20 | 14.8 |
| Phoebe Putney Memorial HospitalAlbany | No | 5 of 6Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.12 | 32.2 |
| Saint Joseph's Hosp of AtlantaAtlanta | No | 5 of 5Highest: Heart bypass surgery 1.07 | 22.8 |
| Athens Regional Medical CenterAthens | No | 4 of 5Highest: Heart attack 1.07 | 33.6 |
| Coliseum Medical CenterMacon | No | 4 of 5Highest: Heart failure 1.05 | 15 |
| Houston Medical CenterWarner Robins | No | 4 of 5Highest: Pneumonia 1.11 | 30.3 |
| Piedmont Fayette HospitalFayetteville | No | 4 of 5Highest: Heart failure 1.06 | 33.3 |
| Piedmont HospitalAtlanta | No | 4 of 6Highest: Heart bypass surgery 1.05 | 39 |
| Satilla Regional Medical CenterWaycross | No | 4 of 4Highest: COPD 1.09 | 35.4 |
| Sgmc HealthValdosta | No | 4 of 5Highest: Pneumonia 1.08 | 26.1 |
| Tanner Medical Center Villa RicaVilla Rica | No | 4 of 4Highest: Heart failure 1.15 | 36.8 |
| Upson Regional Medical CenterThomaston | No | 4 of 4Highest: Heart failure 1.09 | 33 |
| Coffee Regional Medical CenterDouglas | No | 3 of 4Highest: Heart attack 1.05 | 30.5 |
| Colquitt Reg Medical CenterMoultrie | No | 3 of 4Highest: Pneumonia 1.15 | 51.2 |
| Doctors HospitalAugusta | No | 3 of 5Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.03 | 21.8 |
| East Georgia Regional Medical CenterStatesboro | No | 3 of 5Highest: Heart attack 1.05 | 19.4 |
| Emory Eastside Medical CenterSnellville | No | 3 of 5Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.13 | 18 |
| Hamilton Medical CenterDalton | No | 3 of 5Highest: Heart bypass surgery 1.12 | 29.3 |
| Piedmont Augusta HospitalAugusta | No | 3 of 6Highest: Heart bypass surgery 1.10 | 12.5 |
| Redmond Regional Medical CenterRome | No | 3 of 6Highest: Pneumonia 1.06 | 31.4 |
| St Francis Hospital, INCColumbus | No | 3 of 5Highest: Heart attack 1.06 | 22.4 |
| Sumter Regional HospitalAmericus | No | 3 of 3Highest: Heart failure 1.08 | 56.1 |
| Tift Regional Medical CenterTifton | No | 3 of 4Highest: Pneumonia 1.06 | 36.5 |
| Wellstar Kennestone HospitalMarietta | No | 3 of 6Highest: Heart bypass surgery 1.09 | 31.2 |
| Wellstar Paulding HospitalDallas | No | 3 of 4Highest: Pneumonia 1.08 | 46.5 |
| Atrium Health Navicent the Medical CenterMacon | No | 2 of 6Highest: Pneumonia 1.06 | 16.3 |
| Cartersville Medical CenterCartersville | No | 2 of 4Highest: Heart failure 1.04 | 35.8 |
| Crisp Regional HospitalCordele | No | 2 of 3Highest: Pneumonia 1.11 | 28.1 |
| Dekalb Medical Center at HillandaleLithonia | No | 2 of 2Highest: Heart failure 1.12 | 33.5 |
| Fairview Park HospitalDublin | No | 2 of 4Highest: Pneumonia 1.06 | 43.9 |
| Gwinnett Medical CenterLawrenceville | No | 2 of 6Highest: Heart failure 1.11 | 19.8 |
| Henry Medical Center, INCStockbridge | No | 2 of 5Highest: Pneumonia 1.17 | 20.2 |
| Meadows Regional Medical Center INCVidalia | No | 2 of 4Highest: Heart failure 1.05 | 64.1 |
| Memorial Hospital and ManorBainbridge | No | 2 of 2Highest: Heart failure 1.05 | – |
| Newton Medical CenterCovington | No | 2 of 5Highest: Pneumonia 1.05 | 25.2 |
| Piedmont Mountainside Hospital INCJasper | No | 2 of 3Highest: COPD 1.04 | 38.8 |
| Piedmont Newnan Hospital, INCNewnan | No | 2 of 5Highest: Hip or knee replacement 1.11 | 37.3 |
| Rockdale Medical CenterConyers | No | 2 of 4Highest: Heart failure 1.07 | 32.9 |
| Southern Regional Medical CenterRiverdale | No | 2 of 2Highest: Pneumonia 1.06 | 11.5 |
| Spalding Regional Medical CenterGriffin | No | 2 of 4Highest: Heart attack 1.13 | 30 |
| Union General HospitalBlairsville | No | 2 of 4Highest: Heart failure 1.01 | 31 |
| Wayne Memorial HospitalJesup | No | 2 of 3Highest: COPD 1.03 | 25.9 |
| West Georgia Medical CenterLagrange | No | 2 of 4Highest: Heart attack 1.05 | 53.2 |
| Appling HospitalBaxley | No | 1 of 1Highest: Pneumonia 1.01 | – |
| Emory Johns Creek HospitalJohns Creek | No | 1 of 5Highest: COPD 1.04 | 29.6 |
| Habersham County Med CenterDemorest | No | 1 of 3Highest: Pneumonia 1.02 | 38 |
| McDuffie Regional Medical CenterThomson | No | 1 of 2Highest: Pneumonia 1.06 | – |
| Piedmont Macon North HospitalMacon | No | 1 of 2Highest: Heart failure 1.07 | 31.3 |
| Southeast Georgia Health System- Camden CampusSt Marys | No | 1 of 2Highest: Heart failure 1.01 | 37.5 |
| Walton Regional Medical CenterMonroe | No | 1 of 3Highest: Heart failure 1.04 | 32.5 |
| Wellstar Cobb HospitalAustell | No | 1 of 4Highest: Heart attack 1.03 | 20.4 |
| Burke Medical CenterWaynesboro | No | – | – |
| Commonspirit-Memorial Hospital-North GeorgiaRinggold | No | 0 of 2 | – |
| Donalsonville HospitalDonalsonville | No | 0 of 1 | – |
| Emanuel Medical CenterSwainsboro | No | 0 of 3 | 44.8 |
| Evans Memorial HospitalClaxton | No | 0 of 1 | – |
| Flint River Community HospitalMontezuma | No | – | – |
| Grady General HospitalCairo | No | 0 of 1 | – |
| Jefferson HospitalLouisville | No | 0 of 1 | – |
| Murray Medical CenterChatsworth | No | 0 of 2 | 83.3 |
| Northeast Georgia Medical Center LumpkinDahlonega | No | 0 of 3 | 69.1 |
| Piedmont Columbus Regional NorthsideColumbus | No | 0 of 4 | 31.5 |
| Sgmc Berrien CampusNashville | No | – | – |
| Southeastern Regional Medical Center, INCNewnan | No | – | 47.1 |
| Southwell Medical, a Campus of TrmcAdel | No | – | – |
| Turning Point HospitalMoultrie | No | – | – |
| Washington County Regional Medical CenterSandersville | No | 0 of 1 | – |
Questions
Which Georgia hospitals does Medicare penalize for patient safety?
27 of 94 Georgia hospitals in the program (29%, vs 24% nationally) have their Medicare payments cut 1% in fiscal year 2026: Floyd Medical Center, St Mary's Hospital, Emory Decatur Hospital, Emory University Hospital, Medical College of Ga Hospitals and Clinics, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Grady Memorial Hospital, Northside Hospital, Southeast Georgia Reg Med Ctr, St Joseph's Hospital - Savannah, Tanner Medical Center - Carrollton, John D Archbold Memorial Hospital and 15 more.
What does a readmission ratio above 1.00 mean?
It means the hospital's Medicare patients were readmitted within 30 days more often than CMS expected for similar patients. In Georgia, 74 of 88 rated hospitals were above 1.00 on at least one condition.
HAC: the quarter of hospitals with the worst hospital-acquired condition scores get a 1% cut to Medicare inpatient payments. Readmissions: a ratio above 1.00 means more readmissions than expected; whether payments are cut depends on how the hospital compares with similar hospitals, so a ratio above 1.00 alone isn't a penalty. VBP: Value-Based Purchasing total performance score out of 100. How the penalties work.