Comprehensive Observation Services in Iowa
What 31 hospitals in Iowa charged and were paid for comprehensive observation services (APC 8011), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$17,461
Hospital list price billed
Average allowed
$2,385
Medicare's payment + patient's share
Medicare paid
$1,895
Average per service
State rank
#13 of 49
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Iowa billed an average of $17,461 for comprehensive observation services, about 7.3 times the average medicare-allowed amount of $2,385. That payment is 9% 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 $2,385Billed $17,461
About 14¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Iowa billed for this service.
Iowa hospitals: comprehensive observation services
Every Iowa hospital that billed Medicare for this service at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Services | Avg charge | Avg allowed | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Medical Center-Des MoinesDes Moines | 701 | $26,390 | $2,315 | $1,839 |
| Southeast Iowa Regional Medical CenterWest Burlington | 700 | $15,768 | $2,520 | $2,005 |
| Iowa Methodist Medical CenterDes Moines | 658 | $19,515 | $2,334 | $1,856 |
| Mercy Medical Center - Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids | 650 | $16,446 | $2,349 | $1,871 |
| University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City | 626 | $25,934 | $2,415 | $1,918 |
| Mary Greeley Medical CenterAmes | 524 | $13,514 | $2,326 | $1,848 |
| Mercy HospitalIowa City | 420 | $27,932 | $2,422 | $1,927 |
| Genesis Medical Center-DavenportDavenport | 331 | $12,865 | $2,320 | $1,840 |
| St Lukes Regional Medical CenterSioux City | 307 | $8,749 | $2,336 | $1,858 |
| St Lukes HospitalCedar Rapids | 304 | $12,790 | $2,339 | $1,858 |
| Mercy Medical Center-North IowaMason City | 286 | $15,305 | $2,585 | $2,043 |
| Mercy Medical Center-DubuqueDubuque | 190 | $16,607 | $2,485 | $1,976 |
| Lakes Regional HealthcareSpirit Lake | 181 | $9,015 | $2,341 | $1,866 |
| Allen Memorial HospitalWaterloo | 137 | $11,141 | $2,291 | $1,814 |
| Spencer Municipal HospitalSpencer | 137 | $11,018 | $2,341 | $1,866 |
| Broadlawns Medical CenterDes Moines | 129 | $12,636 | $2,306 | $1,828 |
| Mercyone Siouxland Medical CenterSioux City | 123 | $13,593 | $2,451 | $1,945 |
| Mercyone Waterloo Medical CenterWaterloo | 114 | $12,763 | $2,305 | $1,833 |
| The Finley HospitalDubuque | 107 | $11,379 | $2,272 | $1,795 |
| Jennie Edmundson HospitalCouncil Bluffs | 95 | $11,876 | $2,467 | $1,962 |
| Trinity Regional Medical CenterFort Dodge | 85 | $14,364 | $2,484 | $1,972 |
| Mercyone Newton Medical CenterNewton | 79 | $18,145 | $2,349 | $1,872 |
| Mercy Medical Center-ClintonClinton | 79 | $17,618 | $2,445 | $1,936 |
| Ottumwa Regional Health CenterOttumwa | 64 | $21,311 | $2,497 | $1,981 |
| Marshalltown Medical & Surgical CenterMarshalltown | 60 | $11,871 | $2,483 | $1,971 |
| Trinity MuscatineMuscatine | 48 | $12,602 | $2,508 | $1,994 |
| Alegent Health Mercy HospitalCouncil Bluffs | 45 | $18,344 | $2,467 | $1,959 |
| Sartori Memorial HospitalCedar Falls | 31 | $12,773 | $2,266 | $1,805 |
| Trinity Medical CenterDavenport | 27 | $15,543 | $2,345 | $1,868 |
| Grinnell Regional Medical CenterGrinnell | 25 | $12,590 | $2,349 | $1,872 |
| St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing HomeCarroll | 16 | $10,182 | $2,383 | $1,873 |
Lowest and highest allowed amounts in Iowa
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
| Sartori Memorial HospitalCedar Falls, IA | $2,266 |
|---|---|
| The Finley HospitalDubuque, IA | $2,272 |
| Allen Memorial HospitalWaterloo, IA | $2,291 |
| Mercyone Waterloo Medical CenterWaterloo, IA | $2,305 |
| Broadlawns Medical CenterDes Moines, IA | $2,306 |
Highest
| Mercy Medical Center-North IowaMason City, IA | $2,585 |
|---|---|
| Southeast Iowa Regional Medical CenterWest Burlington, IA | $2,520 |
| Trinity MuscatineMuscatine, IA | $2,508 |
| Ottumwa Regional Health CenterOttumwa, IA | $2,497 |
| Mercy Medical Center-DubuqueDubuque, IA | $2,485 |
Comprehensive Observation Services in other states
Questions
How much does comprehensive observation services cost in Iowa?
In 2024 Medicare data, comprehensive observation services (APC 8011) at 31 hospitals in Iowa was billed at $17,461 on average, while the average medicare-allowed amount was $2,385, of which Medicare paid $1,895. 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 Iowa, average charges were 7.3 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.