Comprehensive Observation Services in Alabama
What 78 hospitals in Alabama charged and were paid for comprehensive observation services (APC 8011), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$16,654
Hospital list price billed
Average allowed
$2,241
Medicare's payment + patient's share
Medicare paid
$1,770
Average per service
State rank
#2 of 49
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Alabama billed an average of $16,654 for comprehensive observation services, about 7.4 times the average medicare-allowed amount of $2,241. That payment is 15% below the U.S. average of $2,634.
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.
Paid $2,241Billed $16,654
About 13¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Alabama billed for this service.
Alabama hospitals: comprehensive observation services
Every Alabama hospital that billed Medicare for this service at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Services | Avg charge | Avg allowed | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville HospitalHuntsville | 943 | $17,355 | $2,244 | $1,771 |
| Southeast Alabama Medical CenterDothan | 557 | $11,069 | $2,282 | $1,806 |
| University of Alabama HospitalBirmingham | 442 | $23,654 | $2,262 | $1,798 |
| D C H Regional Medical CenterTuscaloosa | 407 | $11,350 | $2,421 | $1,913 |
| Springhill Medical CenterMobile | 302 | $9,271 | $2,246 | $1,785 |
| Baptist Medical Center SouthMontgomery | 266 | $9,931 | $2,129 | $1,671 |
| North Alabama Medical CenterFlorence | 224 | $15,546 | $2,181 | $1,726 |
| Cullman Regional Medical CenterCullman | 189 | $16,797 | $2,404 | $1,900 |
| Athens-Limestone HospitalAthens | 178 | $9,168 | $2,259 | $1,791 |
| South Baldwin Regional Medical CenterFoley | 164 | $31,109 | $2,252 | $1,790 |
| Medical West, an Affiliate of UAB Health SystemBessemer | 162 | $12,957 | $2,230 | $1,763 |
| Mobile InfirmaryMobile | 158 | $10,270 | $2,138 | $1,676 |
| Dale Medical CenterOzark | 156 | $13,541 | $2,169 | $1,711 |
| Helen Keller Memorial HospitalSheffield | 154 | $12,811 | $2,208 | $1,751 |
| Baptist Medical Center EastMontgomery | 145 | $11,328 | $2,199 | $1,725 |
| East Alabama Medical Center and SnfOpelika | 141 | $8,176 | $2,422 | $1,930 |
| North Mississippi Health Services - South MarionWinfield | 136 | $15,578 | $2,169 | $1,712 |
| St Vincent's BirminghamBirmingham | 134 | $16,977 | $2,237 | $1,772 |
| Thomas HospitalFairhope | 130 | $12,078 | $2,143 | $1,683 |
| Grandview Medical CenterBirmingham | 130 | $54,031 | $2,160 | $1,693 |
| Crestwood Medical CenterHuntsville | 129 | $36,322 | $2,246 | $1,774 |
| Jackson Hospital & Clinic INCMontgomery | 128 | $14,086 | $2,100 | $1,635 |
| Decatur General HospitalDecatur | 120 | $11,103 | $2,224 | $1,752 |
| Monroe County HospitalMonroeville | 113 | $10,460 | $2,401 | $1,911 |
| Medical Center EnterpriseEnterprise | 111 | $41,237 | $2,228 | $1,767 |
| Highlands Medical CenterScottsboro | 110 | $9,610 | $2,440 | $1,929 |
| D W McMillan Memorial HospitalBrewton | 108 | $9,980 | $2,101 | $1,670 |
| North Baldwin InfirmaryBay Minette | 98 | $11,621 | $2,188 | $1,725 |
| Gadsden Regional Medical CenterGadsden | 96 | $72,394 | $2,093 | $1,624 |
| Troy Regional Medical CenterTroy | 83 | $8,276 | $2,236 | $1,765 |
| Andalusia Regional HospitalAndalusia | 81 | $20,000 | $2,323 | $1,844 |
| Providence HospitalMobile | 81 | $13,784 | $2,211 | $1,750 |
| USA Health University HospitalMobile | 79 | $11,031 | $2,183 | $1,716 |
| Marshall Medical Center SouthBoaz | 77 | $10,296 | $2,177 | $1,714 |
| Flowers HospitalDothan | 75 | $40,331 | $2,261 | $1,780 |
| Northeast Alabama Regional Med CenterAnniston | 71 | $21,980 | $2,330 | $1,823 |
| St Vincent's EastBirmingham | 70 | $16,876 | $2,191 | $1,723 |
| Walker Baptist Medical CenterJasper | 70 | $32,852 | $2,163 | $1,665 |
| Russell HospitalAlexander City | 69 | $8,039 | $2,264 | $1,803 |
| Prattville Baptist HospitalPrattville | 64 | $10,860 | $2,101 | $1,629 |
| Jackson Medical CenterJackson | 60 | $4,346 | $2,215 | $1,759 |
| Russellville HospitalRussellville | 55 | $11,808 | $2,153 | $1,687 |
| Marion Regional Medical CenterHamilton | 54 | $10,442 | $2,242 | $1,782 |
| Bibb Medical CenterCentreville | 53 | $4,220 | $2,285 | $1,816 |
| Wiregrass Medical CenterGeneva | 51 | $7,856 | $2,242 | $1,786 |
| Vaughan Reg Med Center Parkway CampusSelma | 50 | $40,306 | $2,431 | $1,933 |
| Coosa Valley Medical CenterSylacauga | 47 | $14,641 | $2,053 | $1,592 |
| Fayette Medical CenterFayette | 44 | $8,743 | $2,224 | $1,760 |
| Lakeland Community HospitalHaleyville | 43 | $11,079 | $2,242 | $1,786 |
| Evergreen Medical CenterEvergreen | 43 | $6,648 | $2,202 | $1,746 |
| St Vincent's ChiltonClanton | 43 | $14,054 | $2,286 | $1,822 |
| Atmore Community HospitalAtmore | 41 | $9,402 | $2,198 | $1,739 |
| Princeton Baptist Medical CenterBirmingham | 39 | $38,159 | $2,061 | $1,595 |
| Crenshaw Community HospitalLuverne | 36 | $10,956 | $2,242 | $1,786 |
| Medical Center BarbourEufaula | 36 | $7,603 | $2,401 | $1,912 |
| Clay County HospitalAshland | 34 | $7,494 | $2,156 | $1,700 |
| Mizell Memorial HospitalOpp | 33 | $7,414 | $2,242 | $1,786 |
| Cherokee Medical CenterCentre | 33 | $41,966 | $2,189 | $1,711 |
| Lawrence Medical CenterMoulton | 33 | $6,320 | $2,256 | $1,786 |
| St Vincent's St ClairPell City | 33 | $13,443 | $2,128 | $1,662 |
| Thomasville Regional Medical Center LLCThomasville | 33 | $10,925 | $2,136 | $1,670 |
| Hale County HospitalGreensboro | 29 | $4,719 | $2,328 | $1,842 |
| Eamc - LanierValley | 29 | $6,825 | $2,196 | $1,750 |
| Citizens Baptist Medical CenterTalladega | 28 | $44,254 | $2,269 | $1,806 |
| Shelby Baptist Medical CenterAlabaster | 26 | $30,401 | $1,973 | $1,500 |
| Grove Hill Memorial HospitalGrove Hill | 26 | $10,274 | $2,242 | $1,780 |
| Dekalb Regional Medical CenterFort Payne | 24 | $26,421 | $2,401 | $1,904 |
| Lake Martin Community HospitalDadeville | 24 | $3,237 | $2,188 | $1,728 |
| L V Stabler Memorial HospitalGreenville | 20 | $30,049 | $2,461 | $1,961 |
| Shoals HospitalMuscle Shoals | 18 | $14,590 | $2,308 | $1,839 |
| Elmore Community HospitalWetumpka | 17 | $7,731 | $2,298 | $1,831 |
| Riverview Regional Medical CenterGadsden | 13 | $30,171 | $1,338 | $877 |
| Jack Hughston Memorial HospitalPhenix City | 13 | $10,461 | $2,170 | $1,705 |
| J Paul Jones HospitalCamden | – | – | – | – |
| Bryan W Whitfield Mem Hosp INCDemopolis | – | – | – | – |
| Brookwood Medical CenterBirmingham | – | – | – | – |
| Children's Hospital of AlabamaBirmingham | – | – | – | – |
| Univ of S Al Children's & Women's HosMobile | – | – | – | – |
Lowest and highest allowed amounts in Alabama
Among hospitals with at least 11 Medicare services. Differences reflect local wage costs, teaching status and how sick patients were, as well as price.
Lowest
| Riverview Regional Medical CenterGadsden, AL | $1,338 |
|---|---|
| Shelby Baptist Medical CenterAlabaster, AL | $1,973 |
| Coosa Valley Medical CenterSylacauga, AL | $2,053 |
| Princeton Baptist Medical CenterBirmingham, AL | $2,061 |
| Gadsden Regional Medical CenterGadsden, AL | $2,093 |
Highest
| L V Stabler Memorial HospitalGreenville, AL | $2,461 |
|---|---|
| Highlands Medical CenterScottsboro, AL | $2,440 |
| Vaughan Reg Med Center Parkway CampusSelma, AL | $2,431 |
| East Alabama Medical Center and SnfOpelika, AL | $2,422 |
| D C H Regional Medical CenterTuscaloosa, AL | $2,421 |
Comprehensive Observation Services in other states
Questions
How much does comprehensive observation services cost in Alabama?
In 2024 Medicare data, comprehensive observation services (APC 8011) at 78 hospitals in Alabama was billed at $16,654 on average, while the average medicare-allowed amount was $2,241, of which Medicare paid $1,770. Your own cost depends on your insurance, deductible and the hospital.
Why are hospital charges so much higher than payments?
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 service in Alabama, average charges were 7.4 times the average payment. Uninsured patients can ask the hospital about its financial assistance (charity care) policy and cash prices.
Source: CMS, Medicare Outpatient Hospitals by Provider and Service, 2024. The allowed amount is Medicare's payment plus the patient's coinsurance. CMS omits hospitals with fewer than 11 services for privacy. About the data.