Medical back problems without major complications in Kentucky
What 15 hospitals in Kentucky charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for medical back problems without major complications (DRG 552), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$32,477
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$7,648
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$5,589
Average per stay
State rank
#4 of 47
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Kentucky billed an average of $32,477 for medical back problems without major complications, about 4.2 times the average total payment of $7,648. That payment is 18% 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 $7,648Billed $32,477
About 24¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Kentucky billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 2 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Kentucky:
Kentucky hospitals: medical back problems without major complications
Every Kentucky hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist Hospital EastLouisville | 100 | $35,907 | $6,286 | $4,829 |
| Norton Healthcare PavilionLouisville | 75 | $30,967 | $7,136 | $5,501 |
| University of Kentucky HospLexington | 55 | $41,866 | $10,185 | $6,474 |
| St Elizabeth FlorenceFlorence | 38 | $17,106 | $7,101 | $4,838 |
| St Elizabeth Med Center-SouthEdgewood | 37 | $26,933 | $7,207 | $5,502 |
| Owensboro Medical Health SystemOwensboro | 32 | $22,969 | $8,491 | $6,641 |
| University of Louisville HospitalLouisville | 26 | $55,197 | $10,987 | $7,366 |
| The Medical Center at Bowling GreenBowling Green | 21 | $31,520 | $7,685 | $5,554 |
| Central Baptist HospitalLexington | 21 | $39,789 | $7,011 | $5,118 |
| St Elizabeth Ft ThomasFort Thomas | 18 | $17,707 | $6,545 | $5,729 |
| Jewish HospitalLouisville | 16 | $23,133 | $8,193 | $5,879 |
| Lourdes HospitalPaducah | 16 | $24,561 | $6,852 | $5,526 |
| Murray-Calloway County HospitalMurray | 13 | $28,644 | $8,859 | $5,776 |
| Hardin Memorial HospitalElizabethtown | 12 | $35,609 | $6,555 | $5,315 |
| Western Baptist HospitalPaducah | 12 | $47,258 | $7,006 | $4,852 |
Lowest and highest payments in Kentucky
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
| Baptist Hospital EastLouisville, KY | $6,286 |
|---|---|
| St Elizabeth Ft ThomasFort Thomas, KY | $6,545 |
| Hardin Memorial HospitalElizabethtown, KY | $6,555 |
| Lourdes HospitalPaducah, KY | $6,852 |
| Western Baptist HospitalPaducah, KY | $7,006 |
Highest
| University of Louisville HospitalLouisville, KY | $10,987 |
|---|---|
| University of Kentucky HospLexington, KY | $10,185 |
| Murray-Calloway County HospitalMurray, KY | $8,859 |
| Owensboro Medical Health SystemOwensboro, KY | $8,491 |
| Jewish HospitalLouisville, KY | $8,193 |
Medical back problems without major complications in other states
Questions
How much does medical back problems without major complications cost in Kentucky?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for medical back problems without major complications (DRG 552) at 15 hospitals in Kentucky was billed at $32,477 on average, while the average total payment was $7,648, of which Medicare paid $5,589. 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 Kentucky, average charges were 4.2 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.