Medical back problems without major complications in Iowa
What 15 hospitals in Iowa charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for medical back problems without major complications (DRG 552), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$29,553
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$7,532
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$5,614
Average per stay
State rank
#3 of 47
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Iowa billed an average of $29,553 for medical back problems without major complications, about 3.9 times the average total payment of $7,532. That payment is 20% below 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 $7,532Billed $29,553
About 25¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Iowa billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 2 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Iowa:
Iowa hospitals: medical back problems without major complications
Every Iowa hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Methodist Medical CenterDes Moines | 78 | $32,154 | $7,354 | $5,080 |
| Mercy Medical Center-Des MoinesDes Moines | 50 | $37,422 | $7,187 | $5,285 |
| University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City | 49 | $49,516 | $10,567 | $7,241 |
| Mercy Medical Center-North IowaMason City | 44 | $27,731 | $8,191 | $5,666 |
| Mercy Medical Center-DubuqueDubuque | 43 | $24,241 | $6,780 | $5,526 |
| St Lukes HospitalCedar Rapids | 26 | $19,637 | $6,781 | $5,423 |
| Mary Greeley Medical CenterAmes | 24 | $31,977 | $6,374 | $5,084 |
| Mercy Medical Center - Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids | 24 | $22,479 | $6,994 | $5,560 |
| Genesis Medical Center-DavenportDavenport | 23 | $21,063 | $6,963 | $5,307 |
| Trinity Regional Medical CenterFort Dodge | 17 | $20,607 | $7,002 | $5,780 |
| The Finley HospitalDubuque | 17 | $17,597 | $5,956 | $4,996 |
| Mercyone Waterloo Medical CenterWaterloo | 16 | $26,855 | $7,805 | $6,066 |
| Southeast Iowa Regional Medical CenterWest Burlington | 12 | $28,083 | $8,044 | $6,686 |
| Lakes Regional HealthcareSpirit Lake | 12 | $16,159 | $6,913 | $5,689 |
| Allen Memorial HospitalWaterloo | 11 | $18,228 | $6,773 | $4,966 |
Lowest and highest payments in Iowa
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
| The Finley HospitalDubuque, IA | $5,956 |
|---|---|
| Mary Greeley Medical CenterAmes, IA | $6,374 |
| Allen Memorial HospitalWaterloo, IA | $6,773 |
| Mercy Medical Center-DubuqueDubuque, IA | $6,780 |
| St Lukes HospitalCedar Rapids, IA | $6,781 |
Highest
| University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City, IA | $10,567 |
|---|---|
| Mercy Medical Center-North IowaMason City, IA | $8,191 |
| Southeast Iowa Regional Medical CenterWest Burlington, IA | $8,044 |
| Mercyone Waterloo Medical CenterWaterloo, IA | $7,805 |
| Iowa Methodist Medical CenterDes Moines, IA | $7,354 |
Medical back problems without major complications in other states
Questions
How much does medical back problems without major complications cost in Iowa?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for medical back problems without major complications (DRG 552) at 15 hospitals in Iowa was billed at $29,553 on average, while the average total payment was $7,532, of which Medicare paid $5,614. 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 Iowa, average charges were 3.9 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.