Kidney transplant in California
What 13 hospitals in California charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for kidney transplant (DRG 652), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$482,533
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$49,055
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$37,800
Average per stay
State rank
#19 of 21
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in California billed an average of $482,533 for kidney transplant, about 9.8 times the average total payment of $49,055. That payment is 8% above the U.S. average of $45,511.
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 $49,055Billed $482,533
About 10¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in California billed for this stay.
California hospitals: kidney transplant
Every California hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California Davis Medical CenterSacramento | 80 | $394,811 | $57,740 | $34,018 |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical CenterLos Angeles | 72 | $1,037,203 | $49,229 | $34,273 |
| UCLA Medical CenterLos Angeles | 61 | $270,317 | $59,317 | $44,331 |
| UCSF Medical CenterSan Francisco | 53 | $565,559 | $57,213 | $46,022 |
| California Pacific Medical Ctr-Pacific Campus HospSan Francisco | 47 | $277,887 | $43,373 | $38,697 |
| USC University HospitalLos Angeles | 41 | $294,112 | $40,781 | $34,739 |
| Loma Linda University Medical CenterLoma Linda | 39 | $540,437 | $50,498 | $42,565 |
| St Joseph HospitalOrange | 37 | $184,382 | $32,982 | $27,826 |
| UCI Health-OrangeOrange | 34 | $347,461 | $45,347 | $40,957 |
| Stanford HospitalPalo Alto | 31 | $817,517 | $50,538 | $45,717 |
| University of California San Diego Medical CenterSan Diego | 27 | $301,581 | $42,972 | $36,865 |
| Sharp Memorial HospitalSan Diego | 26 | $501,750 | $40,558 | $26,148 |
| Scripps Green HospitalLa Jolla | 16 | $503,605 | $39,326 | $35,581 |
Lowest and highest payments in California
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.
Lowest
| St Joseph HospitalOrange, CA | $32,982 |
|---|---|
| Scripps Green HospitalLa Jolla, CA | $39,326 |
| Sharp Memorial HospitalSan Diego, CA | $40,558 |
| USC University HospitalLos Angeles, CA | $40,781 |
| University of California San Diego Medical CenterSan Diego, CA | $42,972 |
Highest
| UCLA Medical CenterLos Angeles, CA | $59,317 |
|---|---|
| University of California Davis Medical CenterSacramento, CA | $57,740 |
| UCSF Medical CenterSan Francisco, CA | $57,213 |
| Stanford HospitalPalo Alto, CA | $50,538 |
| Loma Linda University Medical CenterLoma Linda, CA | $50,498 |
Kidney transplant in other states
Questions
How much does kidney transplant cost in California?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for kidney transplant (DRG 652) at 13 hospitals in California was billed at $482,533 on average, while the average total payment was $49,055, of which Medicare paid $37,800. 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 stay in California, average charges were 9.8 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.