Medical back problems with major complications in Massachusetts
What 19 hospitals in Massachusetts charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for medical back problems with major complications (DRG 551), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$45,144
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$17,340
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$14,854
Average per stay
State rank
#28 of 33
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Massachusetts billed an average of $45,144 for medical back problems with major complications, about 2.6 times the average total payment of $17,340. That payment is 7% 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 $17,340Billed $45,144
About 38¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Massachusetts billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 2 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Massachusetts:
Massachusetts hospitals: medical back problems with major complications
Every Massachusetts hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Shore HospitalSouth Weymouth | 71 | $31,247 | $13,010 | $11,216 |
| Umass Memorial Medical Center INCWorcester | 32 | $73,167 | $20,493 | $17,183 |
| Cape Cod HospitalHyannis | 31 | $25,833 | $17,573 | $15,980 |
| Massachusetts General HospitalBoston | 31 | $91,427 | $21,881 | $17,116 |
| Newton-Wellesley HospitalNewton Lower Falls | 29 | $31,043 | $13,921 | $12,403 |
| Brigham and Women's HosptialBoston | 28 | $135,697 | $28,783 | $24,264 |
| Baystate Medical CenterSpringfield | 25 | $33,427 | $18,696 | $15,609 |
| Southcoast Hospital Group, INCFall River | 23 | $34,186 | $14,777 | $12,779 |
| Union HospitalLynn | 22 | $37,705 | $14,586 | $13,694 |
| Lahey Clinic HospitalBurlington | 22 | $35,762 | $18,482 | $15,498 |
| Falmouth HospitalFalmouth | 17 | $28,009 | $14,652 | $11,426 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston | 16 | $29,330 | $19,901 | $17,070 |
| Tufts Medical CenterBoston | 16 | $33,125 | $20,087 | $16,724 |
| Good Samaritan Medical Center, a Caritas Family HoBrockton | 15 | $22,645 | $13,311 | $12,391 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital PlymouthPlymouth | 14 | $22,872 | $13,101 | $11,936 |
| Boston Medical Center CorporationBoston | 12 | $48,827 | $25,637 | $22,137 |
| Winchester HospitalWinchester | 12 | $21,281 | $12,099 | $10,722 |
| Lawrence General HospitalLawrence | 11 | $30,070 | $15,977 | $14,311 |
| Lowell General HospitalLowell | 11 | $30,242 | $13,399 | $11,712 |
Lowest and highest payments in Massachusetts
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
| Winchester HospitalWinchester, MA | $12,099 |
|---|---|
| South Shore HospitalSouth Weymouth, MA | $13,010 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital PlymouthPlymouth, MA | $13,101 |
| Good Samaritan Medical Center, a Caritas Family HoBrockton, MA | $13,311 |
| Lowell General HospitalLowell, MA | $13,399 |
Highest
| Brigham and Women's HosptialBoston, MA | $28,783 |
|---|---|
| Boston Medical Center CorporationBoston, MA | $25,637 |
| Massachusetts General HospitalBoston, MA | $21,881 |
| Umass Memorial Medical Center INCWorcester, MA | $20,493 |
| Tufts Medical CenterBoston, MA | $20,087 |
Medical back problems with major complications in other states
Questions
How much does medical back problems with major complications cost in Massachusetts?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for medical back problems with major complications (DRG 551) at 19 hospitals in Massachusetts was billed at $45,144 on average, while the average total payment was $17,340, of which Medicare paid $14,854. 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 Massachusetts, average charges were 2.6 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.