Multiple level spinal fusion except cervical without major complications
What 51 hospitals in the U.S. charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for multiple level spinal fusion except cervical without major complications (DRG 448), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$184,728
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$40,741
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$35,064
Average per stay
Volume
839
Medicare hospital stays
Hospitals in the U.S. billed an average of $184,728 for multiple level spinal fusion except cervical without major complications, about 4.5 times the average total payment of $40,741.
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.
Lowest and highest payments
Among hospitals with at least 20 Medicare hospital stays. Differences reflect local wage costs, teaching status and how sick patients were, as well as price.
Lowest
| Kansas Spine Hospital LLCWichita, KS | $25,640 |
|---|---|
| The Center for Spinal SurgeryNashville, TN | $27,635 |
| Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest FFort Worth, TX | $33,403 |
| St Thomas HospitalNashville, TN | $34,741 |
| Christiana Care Health Services, INC.Newark, DE | $36,616 |
| University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City, IA | $37,457 |
| Cleveland Clinic - Main CampusCleveland, OH | $38,699 |
| Carolinas Medical Center/Behav HealthCharlotte, NC | $42,398 |
| Mayo Clinic - Saint Marys HospitalRochester, MN | $48,556 |
| Medstar Georgetown University HospitalWashington, DC | $51,289 |
Highest
| University of Maryland Medical CenterBaltimore, MD | $83,643 |
|---|---|
| Hospital for Special SurgeryNew York, NY | $53,192 |
| Medstar Georgetown University HospitalWashington, DC | $51,289 |
| Mayo Clinic - Saint Marys HospitalRochester, MN | $48,556 |
| Carolinas Medical Center/Behav HealthCharlotte, NC | $42,398 |
| Cleveland Clinic - Main CampusCleveland, OH | $38,699 |
| University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City, IA | $37,457 |
| Christiana Care Health Services, INC.Newark, DE | $36,616 |
| St Thomas HospitalNashville, TN | $34,741 |
| Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest FFort Worth, TX | $33,403 |
Multiple level spinal fusion except cervical without major complications cost by state
Volume-weighted averages for each state's hospitals. Select a state to see every hospital.
| State | Hospitals | Avg charge | Avg payment | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 | $183,255 | $40,208 | – |
| California | 2 | $487,681 | $57,006 | $49,152 – $67,276 |
| Delaware | 1 | $135,993 | $36,616 | – |
| Florida | 3 | $258,971 | $34,288 | $30,563 – $38,366 |
| Illinois | 1 | $150,884 | $36,256 | – |
| Indiana | 2 | $329,998 | $40,373 | $36,704 – $44,042 |
| Iowa | 1 | $141,470 | $37,457 | – |
| Kansas | 1 | $87,712 | $25,640 | – |
| Kentucky | 1 | $260,883 | $33,541 | – |
| Maryland | 4 | $68,482 | $63,393 | $38,322 – $83,643 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | $121,642 | $47,696 | $45,631 – $49,294 |
| Michigan | 4 | $100,230 | $34,479 | $31,803 – $39,158 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $123,356 | $48,556 | – |
| New Jersey | 1 | $215,796 | $43,681 | – |
| New York | 3 | $298,096 | $53,009 | $46,675 – $57,253 |
| North Carolina | 2 | $196,861 | $42,209 | $41,801 – $42,398 |
| Ohio | 2 | $126,811 | $36,475 | $32,770 – $38,699 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | $127,950 | $28,018 | $27,259 – $28,903 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $186,818 | $41,811 | $37,681 – $46,161 |
| South Carolina | 1 | $238,133 | $42,628 | – |
| South Dakota | 1 | $217,152 | $31,239 | – |
| Tennessee | 3 | $125,191 | $29,354 | $25,832 – $34,741 |
| Texas | 6 | $267,849 | $33,048 | $29,870 – $39,151 |
| Utah | 1 | $83,854 | $38,984 | – |
Hospitals that treat the most Medicare patients for this
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christiana Care Health Services, INC.Newark, DE | 36 | $135,993 | $36,616 |
| The Center for Spinal SurgeryNashville, TN | 34 | $78,370 | $27,635 |
| Medstar Georgetown University HospitalWashington, DC | 33 | $182,877 | $51,289 |
| Carolinas Medical Center/Behav HealthCharlotte, NC | 28 | $223,028 | $42,398 |
| Kansas Spine Hospital LLCWichita, KS | 27 | $87,712 | $25,640 |
| Mayo Clinic - Saint Marys HospitalRochester, MN | 25 | $123,356 | $48,556 |
| University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City, IA | 23 | $141,470 | $37,457 |
| University of Maryland Medical CenterBaltimore, MD | 21 | $89,733 | $83,643 |
| Hospital for Special SurgeryNew York, NY | 21 | $248,998 | $53,192 |
| Cleveland Clinic - Main CampusCleveland, OH | 20 | $126,326 | $38,699 |
| St Thomas HospitalNashville, TN | 20 | $204,461 | $34,741 |
| Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest FFort Worth, TX | 20 | $113,524 | $33,403 |
| William Beaumont Hospital-TroyTroy, MI | 19 | $113,150 | $31,803 |
| Bronson Methodist HospitalKalamazoo, MI | 18 | $56,438 | $32,606 |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical CenterLos Angeles, CA | 17 | $575,784 | $49,152 |
Questions
How much does multiple level spinal fusion except cervical without major complications cost in the U.S.?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for multiple level spinal fusion except cervical without major complications (DRG 448) at 51 hospitals in the U.S. was billed at $184,728 on average, while the average total payment was $40,741, of which Medicare paid $35,064. Your own cost depends on your insurance, deductible and the hospital.
Which states pay the most and least for multiple level spinal fusion except cervical without major complications?
Among states with at least three hospitals reporting, the average total payment was highest in Maryland ($63,393), New York ($53,009), Massachusetts ($47,696) and lowest in Tennessee ($29,354), Texas ($33,048), Florida ($34,288).
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 the U.S., 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.