Lung transplant
What 23 hospitals in the U.S. charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for lung transplant (DRG 007), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$1,069,597
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$185,741
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$137,533
Average per stay
Volume
454
Medicare hospital stays
Hospitals in the U.S. billed an average of $1,069,597 for lung transplant, about 5.8 times the average total payment of $185,741.
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.
Lowest and highest payments
Among hospitals with at least 20 Medicare hospital stays. Differences reflect local wage costs, teaching status and how sick patients were, as well as price.
Lowest
| St Joseph's Hospital and Medical CenterPhoenix, AZ | $135,647 |
|---|---|
| Northwestern Memorial HospitalChicago, IL | $143,758 |
| Cleveland Clinic - Main CampusCleveland, OH | $151,672 |
| Temple University HospitalPhiladelphia, PA | $158,122 |
| Methodist Hospital,TheHouston, TX | $202,117 |
| Mayo Clinic - Saint Marys HospitalRochester, MN | $239,109 |
| Mayo ClinicJacksonville, FL | $243,311 |
Highest
| Mayo ClinicJacksonville, FL | $243,311 |
|---|---|
| Mayo Clinic - Saint Marys HospitalRochester, MN | $239,109 |
| Methodist Hospital,TheHouston, TX | $202,117 |
| Temple University HospitalPhiladelphia, PA | $158,122 |
| Cleveland Clinic - Main CampusCleveland, OH | $151,672 |
| Northwestern Memorial HospitalChicago, IL | $143,758 |
| St Joseph's Hospital and Medical CenterPhoenix, AZ | $135,647 |
Lung transplant cost by state
Volume-weighted averages for each state's hospitals. Select a state to see every hospital.
| State | Hospitals | Avg charge | Avg payment | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 1 | $941,004 | $135,647 | – |
| California | 3 | $1,515,626 | $211,832 | $160,759 – $235,355 |
| Florida | 1 | $805,404 | $243,311 | – |
| Illinois | 1 | $906,359 | $143,758 | – |
| Maryland | 1 | $251,443 | $220,197 | – |
| Massachusetts | 2 | $921,491 | $188,347 | $187,530 – $189,219 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $636,043 | $239,109 | – |
| Missouri | 1 | $618,478 | $135,008 | – |
| New York | 2 | $1,137,694 | $168,274 | $163,857 – $173,281 |
| North Carolina | 1 | $611,496 | $130,487 | – |
| Ohio | 1 | $829,205 | $151,672 | – |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $1,704,252 | $164,028 | $158,122 – $180,171 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $1,380,345 | $264,648 | – |
| Texas | 3 | $1,138,417 | $198,285 | $193,823 – $202,117 |
| Virginia | 1 | $757,575 | $207,266 | – |
| Wisconsin | 1 | $980,408 | $177,536 | – |
Hospitals that treat the most Medicare patients for this
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple University HospitalPhiladelphia, PA | 41 | $1,820,546 | $158,122 |
| Northwestern Memorial HospitalChicago, IL | 30 | $906,359 | $143,758 |
| St Joseph's Hospital and Medical CenterPhoenix, AZ | 28 | $941,004 | $135,647 |
| Cleveland Clinic - Main CampusCleveland, OH | 28 | $829,205 | $151,672 |
| Mayo Clinic - Saint Marys HospitalRochester, MN | 26 | $636,043 | $239,109 |
| Mayo ClinicJacksonville, FL | 22 | $805,404 | $243,311 |
| Methodist Hospital,TheHouston, TX | 21 | $1,575,885 | $202,117 |
| UCSF Medical CenterSan Francisco, CA | 19 | $1,602,213 | $235,355 |
| Vanderbilt University HospitalNashville, TN | 19 | $1,380,345 | $264,648 |
| UCLA Medical CenterLos Angeles, CA | 18 | $668,301 | $229,564 |
| UT Southwestern University HospitalDallas, TX | 18 | $1,011,745 | $193,823 |
| The Johns Hopkins HospitalBaltimore, MD | 17 | $251,443 | $220,197 |
| NYU Hospitals CenterNew York, NY | 17 | $1,291,624 | $163,857 |
| Duke University Medical CenterDurham, NC | 17 | $611,496 | $130,487 |
| Massachusetts General HospitalBoston, MA | 16 | $962,281 | $187,530 |
Questions
How much does lung transplant cost in the U.S.?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for lung transplant (DRG 007) at 23 hospitals in the U.S. was billed at $1,069,597 on average, while the average total payment was $185,741, of which Medicare paid $137,533. Your own cost depends on your insurance, deductible and the hospital.
Which states pay the most and least for lung transplant?
Among states with at least three hospitals reporting, the average total payment was highest in California ($211,832), Texas ($198,285) and lowest in Texas ($198,285), California ($211,832).
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 the U.S., average charges were 5.8 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.