Medical back problems with major complications in Georgia
What 9 hospitals in Georgia charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for medical back problems with major complications (DRG 551), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$107,094
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$19,572
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$15,539
Average per stay
State rank
#30 of 33
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Georgia billed an average of $107,094 for medical back problems with major complications, about 5.5 times the average total payment of $19,572. That payment is 21% above the U.S. average of $16,215.
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 $19,572Billed $107,094
About 18¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Georgia billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 2 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Georgia:
Georgia hospitals: medical back problems with major complications
Every Georgia hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grady Memorial HospitalAtlanta | 40 | $175,407 | $32,958 | $25,853 |
| Wellstar Kennestone HospitalMarietta | 29 | $84,732 | $17,125 | $14,652 |
| Memorial Health Univ Med Cen, INCSavannah | 25 | $83,160 | $13,634 | $10,684 |
| Northeast Georgia Medical Center, INCGainesville | 16 | $73,953 | $16,680 | $13,955 |
| Atrium Health Navicent the Medical CenterMacon | 16 | $85,172 | $16,442 | $13,625 |
| Athens Regional Medical CenterAthens | 15 | $65,628 | $13,509 | $11,870 |
| Northside Hospital ForsythCumming | 12 | $94,386 | $18,018 | $9,860 |
| Gwinnett Medical CenterLawrenceville | 12 | $91,073 | $17,501 | $12,701 |
| Doctors HospitalAugusta | 11 | $140,014 | $11,828 | $10,789 |
Lowest and highest payments in Georgia
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
| Doctors HospitalAugusta, GA | $11,828 |
|---|---|
| Athens Regional Medical CenterAthens, GA | $13,509 |
| Memorial Health Univ Med Cen, INCSavannah, GA | $13,634 |
| Atrium Health Navicent the Medical CenterMacon, GA | $16,442 |
| Northeast Georgia Medical Center, INCGainesville, GA | $16,680 |
Highest
| Grady Memorial HospitalAtlanta, GA | $32,958 |
|---|---|
| Northside Hospital ForsythCumming, GA | $18,018 |
| Gwinnett Medical CenterLawrenceville, GA | $17,501 |
| Wellstar Kennestone HospitalMarietta, GA | $17,125 |
| Northeast Georgia Medical Center, INCGainesville, GA | $16,680 |
Medical back problems with major complications in other states
Questions
How much does medical back problems with major complications cost in Georgia?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for medical back problems with major complications (DRG 551) at 9 hospitals in Georgia was billed at $107,094 on average, while the average total payment was $19,572, of which Medicare paid $15,539. 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 Georgia, 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.