What 16 hospitals in Tennessee charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for combined anterior and posterior spinal fusion without complications (DRG 455), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Hospitals in Tennessee billed an average of $173,052 for combined anterior and posterior spinal fusion without complications, about 4.9 times the average total payment of $35,392. That payment is 13% below the U.S. average of $40,610.
These are averages for patients with original (fee-for-service) Medicare. Private insurance pays different, negotiated prices, and what you owe depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance. Use these figures to compare hospitals, not as a quote.
About 20¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Tennessee billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 3 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Tennessee:
Every Tennessee hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist Memorial HospitalMemphis | 70 | $128,514 | $33,705 | $27,158 |
| Parkridge Medical CenterChattanooga | 39 | $164,918 | $33,562 | $29,639 |
| Centennial Medical CenterNashville | 37 | $250,939 | $34,839 | $29,557 |
| Williamson Medical CenterFranklin | 36 | $90,453 | $34,132 | $23,562 |
| St Francis HospitalMemphis | 22 | $372,565 | $34,409 | $29,576 |
| Erlanger Medical CenterChattanooga | 19 | $100,589 | $38,107 | $32,208 |
| Stonecrest Medical CenterSmyrna | 19 | $203,576 | $36,810 | $27,418 |
| Vanderbilt University HospitalNashville | 17 | $204,837 | $45,062 | $33,485 |
| Parkwest Medical CenterKnoxville | 17 | $149,655 | $33,766 | $28,219 |
| The Center for Spinal SurgeryNashville | 17 | $100,962 | $28,963 | $27,331 |
| Methodist Healthcare-MemphisMemphis | 16 | $259,363 | $41,324 | $38,554 |
| Maury Regional HospitalColumbia | 16 | $108,861 | $30,378 | $28,843 |
| St Thomas HospitalNashville | 14 | $222,968 | $34,585 | $31,738 |
| Memorial Healthcare System, INCChattanooga | 14 | $94,626 | $35,668 | $23,555 |
| Univ of Tn Mem HospitalKnoxville | 12 | $125,940 | $40,138 | $27,422 |
| Wellmont Holston Vly Med CtrKingsport | 11 | $321,033 | $45,075 | $27,700 |
Among hospitals with at least 11 Medicare hospital stays. Differences reflect local wage costs, teaching status and how sick patients were, as well as price.
| The Center for Spinal SurgeryNashville, TN | $28,963 |
|---|---|
| Maury Regional HospitalColumbia, TN | $30,378 |
| Parkridge Medical CenterChattanooga, TN | $33,562 |
| Baptist Memorial HospitalMemphis, TN | $33,705 |
| Parkwest Medical CenterKnoxville, TN | $33,766 |
| Wellmont Holston Vly Med CtrKingsport, TN | $45,075 |
|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University HospitalNashville, TN | $45,062 |
| Methodist Healthcare-MemphisMemphis, TN | $41,324 |
| Univ of Tn Mem HospitalKnoxville, TN | $40,138 |
| Erlanger Medical CenterChattanooga, TN | $38,107 |
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for combined anterior and posterior spinal fusion without complications (DRG 455) at 16 hospitals in Tennessee was billed at $173,052 on average, while the average total payment was $35,392, of which Medicare paid $28,676. Your own cost depends on your insurance, deductible and the hospital.
Charges are a hospital's list prices. Medicare pays fixed rates set in advance, and private insurers negotiate their own discounts, so almost nobody pays the full charge. For this stay in Tennessee, average charges were 4.9 times the average payment. Uninsured patients can ask the hospital about its financial assistance (charity care) policy and cash prices.
Source: CMS, Medicare Inpatient Hospitals by Provider and Service, 2024. Average total payment includes Medicare's payment, the patient's deductible and coinsurance, and any other payer. CMS omits hospitals with fewer than 11 hospital stays for privacy. About the data.