Medical back problems with major complications in Pennsylvania
What 23 hospitals in Pennsylvania charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for medical back problems with major complications (DRG 551), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$85,341
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$14,965
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$12,173
Average per stay
State rank
#17 of 33
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Pennsylvania billed an average of $85,341 for medical back problems with major complications, about 5.7 times the average total payment of $14,965. That payment is 8% below 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 $14,965Billed $85,341
About 18¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Pennsylvania billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 2 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania hospitals: medical back problems with major complications
Every Pennsylvania hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley HospitalAllentown | 66 | $124,213 | $15,506 | $12,148 |
| Abington Memorial HospitalAbington | 37 | $54,742 | $14,500 | $11,196 |
| Reading Hospital and Med CtrWest Reading | 30 | $56,833 | $13,444 | $11,896 |
| Thomas Jefferson University HospitalPhiladelphia | 25 | $88,068 | $20,038 | $15,586 |
| UPMC Presbyterian ShadysidePittsburgh | 23 | $177,110 | $18,224 | $13,312 |
| York HospitalYork | 22 | $62,801 | $14,581 | $12,715 |
| Lancaster General HospitalLancaster | 21 | $54,234 | $12,753 | $10,991 |
| St Luke's Hospital BethlehemBethlehem | 19 | $94,091 | $15,613 | $12,299 |
| Jefferson Health- NortheastPhiladelphia | 18 | $47,307 | $14,393 | $12,593 |
| UPMC MercyPittsburgh | 17 | $92,595 | $16,870 | $12,358 |
| St Mary Medical CenterLanghorne | 17 | $42,719 | $12,892 | $11,589 |
| Geisinger Wyoming Vly Med CtrWilkes-Barre | 17 | $99,172 | $13,601 | $12,340 |
| St Luke's Hospital - Anderson CampusEaston | 17 | $100,666 | $16,567 | $13,337 |
| Main Line Hospital PaoliPaoli | 15 | $79,310 | $12,136 | $10,283 |
| UPMC Pinnacle HospitalsHarrisburg | 14 | $51,746 | $13,212 | $10,931 |
| Williamsport Hospital & Medical CenterWilliamsport | 13 | $55,455 | $11,406 | $10,424 |
| Grand View HospitalSellersville | 13 | $44,100 | $11,436 | $10,180 |
| Holy Spirit HospitalCamp Hill | 12 | $45,418 | $10,188 | $8,925 |
| Allegheny General HospitalPittsburgh | 12 | $85,715 | $18,762 | $13,663 |
| Milton S Hershey Medical CenterHershey | 12 | $87,883 | $15,704 | $12,342 |
| Western Pennsylvania Hosp Forbes Regional CampusMonroeville | 12 | $71,422 | $12,905 | $10,853 |
| Temple University HospitalPhiladelphia | 11 | $219,616 | $22,519 | $17,079 |
| Altoona Regional Health SystemAltoona | 11 | $52,231 | $13,199 | $11,919 |
Lowest and highest payments in Pennsylvania
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
| Holy Spirit HospitalCamp Hill, PA | $10,188 |
|---|---|
| Williamsport Hospital & Medical CenterWilliamsport, PA | $11,406 |
| Grand View HospitalSellersville, PA | $11,436 |
| Main Line Hospital PaoliPaoli, PA | $12,136 |
| Lancaster General HospitalLancaster, PA | $12,753 |
Highest
| Temple University HospitalPhiladelphia, PA | $22,519 |
|---|---|
| Thomas Jefferson University HospitalPhiladelphia, PA | $20,038 |
| Allegheny General HospitalPittsburgh, PA | $18,762 |
| UPMC Presbyterian ShadysidePittsburgh, PA | $18,224 |
| UPMC MercyPittsburgh, PA | $16,870 |
Medical back problems with major complications in other states
Questions
How much does medical back problems with major complications cost in Pennsylvania?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for medical back problems with major complications (DRG 551) at 23 hospitals in Pennsylvania was billed at $85,341 on average, while the average total payment was $14,965, of which Medicare paid $12,173. 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 Pennsylvania, average charges were 5.7 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.