What 7 hospitals in Louisiana charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for extensive operating room procedures unrelated to principal diagnosis with major complications (DRG 981), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Hospitals in Louisiana billed an average of $217,714 for extensive operating room procedures unrelated to principal diagnosis with major complications, about 5.5 times the average total payment of $39,834. That payment is 15% below the U.S. average of $47,051.
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 18¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Louisiana billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 3 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Louisiana:
Every Louisiana hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willis Knighton Medical CenterShreveport | 25 | $187,356 | $34,593 | $32,344 |
| Tulane Medical CenterNew Orleans | 24 | $382,152 | $40,820 | $32,078 |
| Lafayette General Medical CenterLafayette | 19 | $192,615 | $34,472 | $29,404 |
| Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical CenterBaton Rouge | 19 | $132,003 | $41,443 | $30,907 |
| Ochsner Foundation HospitalNew Orleans | 13 | $222,150 | $42,863 | $33,921 |
| Baton Rouge General Medical CenterBaton Rouge | 11 | $115,920 | $34,220 | $32,370 |
| LSU Medical Center-Univ HospShreveport | 11 | $215,889 | $58,113 | $53,473 |
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.
| Baton Rouge General Medical CenterBaton Rouge, LA | $34,220 |
|---|---|
| Lafayette General Medical CenterLafayette, LA | $34,472 |
| Willis Knighton Medical CenterShreveport, LA | $34,593 |
| Tulane Medical CenterNew Orleans, LA | $40,820 |
| Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical CenterBaton Rouge, LA | $41,443 |
| LSU Medical Center-Univ HospShreveport, LA | $58,113 |
|---|---|
| Ochsner Foundation HospitalNew Orleans, LA | $42,863 |
| Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical CenterBaton Rouge, LA | $41,443 |
| Tulane Medical CenterNew Orleans, LA | $40,820 |
| Willis Knighton Medical CenterShreveport, LA | $34,593 |
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for extensive operating room procedures unrelated to principal diagnosis with major complications (DRG 981) at 7 hospitals in Louisiana was billed at $217,714 on average, while the average total payment was $39,834, of which Medicare paid $33,686. 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 Louisiana, average charges were 5.5 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.