Medical back problems without major complications in Georgia
What 34 hospitals in Georgia charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for medical back problems without major complications (DRG 552), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$48,985
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$10,614
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$7,890
Average per stay
State rank
#42 of 47
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Georgia billed an average of $48,985 for medical back problems without major complications, about 4.6 times the average total payment of $10,614. That payment is 13% above the U.S. average of $9,373.
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 $10,614Billed $48,985
About 22¢ 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 without 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 | 82 | $99,984 | $23,271 | $18,160 |
| Memorial Health Univ Med Cen, INCSavannah | 79 | $50,599 | $9,564 | $6,525 |
| Atrium Health Navicent the Medical CenterMacon | 74 | $43,909 | $10,298 | $7,409 |
| Wellstar Kennestone HospitalMarietta | 67 | $55,124 | $11,598 | $8,517 |
| Northeast Georgia Medical Center, INCGainesville | 56 | $48,559 | $10,241 | $7,091 |
| Athens Regional Medical CenterAthens | 46 | $38,334 | $9,198 | $6,864 |
| Gwinnett Medical CenterLawrenceville | 45 | $56,491 | $11,204 | $8,510 |
| Northside Hospital CherokeeCanton | 41 | $55,186 | $8,090 | $6,777 |
| Northside Hospital ForsythCumming | 36 | $50,753 | $7,726 | $6,457 |
| Saint Joseph's Hosp of AtlantaAtlanta | 33 | $24,647 | $6,950 | $5,127 |
| North Fulton Regional HospitalRoswell | 33 | $52,246 | $8,399 | $6,811 |
| Piedmont Augusta HospitalAugusta | 32 | $29,078 | $6,980 | $5,527 |
| Piedmont HospitalAtlanta | 31 | $43,096 | $11,788 | $5,605 |
| Emory University HospitalAtlanta | 24 | $41,258 | $13,539 | $7,699 |
| Floyd Medical CenterRome | 23 | $36,018 | $8,969 | $7,218 |
| Northside HospitalAtlanta | 22 | $54,014 | $12,221 | $9,823 |
| St Joseph's Hospital - SavannahSavannah | 21 | $25,557 | $6,436 | $4,961 |
| Emory Johns Creek HospitalJohns Creek | 21 | $25,341 | $6,693 | $5,139 |
| Phoebe Putney Memorial HospitalAlbany | 20 | $29,598 | $9,512 | $7,770 |
| Wellstar Cobb HospitalAustell | 20 | $64,721 | $14,978 | $7,730 |
| Emory Eastside Medical CenterSnellville | 20 | $51,172 | $8,492 | $7,186 |
| Doctors HospitalAugusta | 19 | $77,439 | $7,543 | $6,319 |
| Southeast Georgia Reg Med CtrBrunswick | 16 | $21,477 | $8,816 | $7,592 |
| Piedmont Fayette HospitalFayetteville | 16 | $35,489 | $7,883 | $6,761 |
| Tanner Medical Center - CarrolltonCarrollton | 14 | $29,059 | $8,496 | $7,330 |
| Redmond Regional Medical CenterRome | 14 | $71,200 | $7,935 | $5,275 |
| Tift Regional Medical CenterTifton | 13 | $28,216 | $8,622 | $7,243 |
| Sgmc HealthValdosta | 13 | $19,635 | $7,460 | $6,133 |
| Piedmont Columbus Regional NorthsideColumbus | 13 | $19,797 | $5,495 | $4,239 |
| Candler HospitalSavannah | 12 | $31,674 | $8,357 | $7,120 |
| Cartersville Medical CenterCartersville | 12 | $63,406 | $8,012 | $6,779 |
| Medical College of Ga Hospitals and ClinicsAugusta | 12 | $56,084 | $15,834 | $10,537 |
| Piedmont Columbus Regional MidtownColumbus | 12 | $31,229 | $9,204 | $7,606 |
| Houston Medical CenterWarner Robins | 11 | $21,358 | $7,613 | $6,123 |
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
| Piedmont Columbus Regional NorthsideColumbus, GA | $5,495 |
|---|---|
| St Joseph's Hospital - SavannahSavannah, GA | $6,436 |
| Emory Johns Creek HospitalJohns Creek, GA | $6,693 |
| Saint Joseph's Hosp of AtlantaAtlanta, GA | $6,950 |
| Piedmont Augusta HospitalAugusta, GA | $6,980 |
Highest
| Grady Memorial HospitalAtlanta, GA | $23,271 |
|---|---|
| Medical College of Ga Hospitals and ClinicsAugusta, GA | $15,834 |
| Wellstar Cobb HospitalAustell, GA | $14,978 |
| Emory University HospitalAtlanta, GA | $13,539 |
| Northside HospitalAtlanta, GA | $12,221 |
Medical back problems without major complications in other states
Questions
How much does medical back problems without major complications cost in Georgia?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for medical back problems without major complications (DRG 552) at 34 hospitals in Georgia was billed at $48,985 on average, while the average total payment was $10,614, of which Medicare paid $7,890. 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 4.6 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.