Medical back problems without major complications in Washington
What 23 hospitals in Washington charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for medical back problems without major complications (DRG 552), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$41,340
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$9,217
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$6,932
Average per stay
State rank
#35 of 47
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Washington billed an average of $41,340 for medical back problems without major complications, about 4.5 times the average total payment of $9,217. That payment is 2% 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 $9,217Billed $41,340
About 22¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in Washington billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 2 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in Washington:
Washington hospitals: medical back problems without major complications
Every Washington hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence Regional Medical Center EverettEverett | 45 | $47,834 | $9,105 | $6,804 |
| St Joseph Medical CenterTacoma | 31 | $62,853 | $8,673 | $6,655 |
| Good Samaritan Hospital & Rehab CenterPuyallup | 30 | $36,742 | $8,104 | $6,682 |
| Overlake Hospital Medical CenterBellevue | 28 | $38,735 | $7,922 | $6,582 |
| Evergreenhealth Medical CenterKirkland | 28 | $40,474 | $8,061 | $6,779 |
| Tacoma General HospitalTacoma | 28 | $34,523 | $9,106 | $7,039 |
| Swedish Medical CenterSeattle | 26 | $37,583 | $10,709 | $7,443 |
| Kadlec Regional Medical CenterRichland | 26 | $42,855 | $9,525 | $6,119 |
| S W Washington Medical CenterVancouver | 25 | $40,202 | $9,001 | $7,561 |
| St Anthony HospitalGig Harbor | 24 | $49,368 | $7,818 | $6,322 |
| University of Washington Medical CtrSeattle | 23 | $33,536 | $12,108 | $7,368 |
| Providence St Peter HospitalOlympia | 23 | $45,449 | $9,203 | $6,546 |
| Peacehealth St Joseph Medical CenterBellingham | 23 | $46,519 | $9,996 | $6,927 |
| Harborview Medical CenterSeattle | 22 | $45,250 | $11,806 | $9,658 |
| Swedish IssaquahIssaquah | 19 | $37,471 | $9,377 | $5,984 |
| Valley Medical CenterRenton | 17 | $40,643 | $9,304 | $6,674 |
| Confluence Health HospitalWenatchee | 16 | $26,014 | $8,080 | $6,367 |
| Deaconess Medical CenterSpokane | 16 | $31,428 | $8,094 | $6,484 |
| St Clare HospitalLakewood | 12 | $60,698 | $9,225 | $6,076 |
| Yakima Valley Memorial HospitalYakima | 12 | $29,977 | $8,302 | $6,579 |
| Trios HealthKennewick | 12 | $36,648 | $9,188 | $7,368 |
| Virginia Mason Medical CenterSeattle | 11 | $25,304 | $10,571 | $7,974 |
| Swedish Medical Center/Cherry HillSeattle | 11 | $29,211 | $9,786 | $8,286 |
Lowest and highest payments in Washington
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
| St Anthony HospitalGig Harbor, WA | $7,818 |
|---|---|
| Overlake Hospital Medical CenterBellevue, WA | $7,922 |
| Evergreenhealth Medical CenterKirkland, WA | $8,061 |
| Confluence Health HospitalWenatchee, WA | $8,080 |
| Deaconess Medical CenterSpokane, WA | $8,094 |
Highest
| University of Washington Medical CtrSeattle, WA | $12,108 |
|---|---|
| Harborview Medical CenterSeattle, WA | $11,806 |
| Swedish Medical CenterSeattle, WA | $10,709 |
| Virginia Mason Medical CenterSeattle, WA | $10,571 |
| Peacehealth St Joseph Medical CenterBellingham, WA | $9,996 |
Medical back problems without major complications in other states
Questions
How much does medical back problems without major complications cost in Washington?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for medical back problems without major complications (DRG 552) at 23 hospitals in Washington was billed at $41,340 on average, while the average total payment was $9,217, of which Medicare paid $6,932. 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 Washington, average charges were 4.5 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.