Spinal fusion except cervical without major complications in Georgia
What 20 hospitals in Georgia charged and were paid for a Medicare hospital stay for spinal fusion except cervical without major complications (DRG 460), from 2024 Medicare claims.
Average charge
$168,708
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$33,354
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$25,946
Average per stay
State rank
#29 of 43
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in Georgia billed an average of $168,708 for spinal fusion except cervical without major complications, about 5.1 times the average total payment of $33,354. That payment is 2% below the U.S. average of $34,025.
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 $33,354Billed $168,708
About 20¢ 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: spinal fusion except cervical 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emory University HospitalAtlanta | 66 | $98,603 | $39,022 | $28,438 |
| Emory University Hospital MidtownAtlanta | 43 | $109,806 | $33,010 | $27,343 |
| Northside HospitalAtlanta | 42 | $250,741 | $33,212 | $31,697 |
| Atrium Health Navicent the Medical CenterMacon | 37 | $157,455 | $34,051 | $23,325 |
| Piedmont HospitalAtlanta | 30 | $199,407 | $29,293 | $23,797 |
| Northside Hospital ForsythCumming | 29 | $177,153 | $26,319 | $24,912 |
| St Joseph's Hospital - SavannahSavannah | 26 | $108,576 | $22,521 | $21,015 |
| Northeast Georgia Medical Center, INCGainesville | 23 | $221,816 | $34,605 | $26,696 |
| Piedmont Augusta HospitalAugusta | 21 | $132,540 | $28,070 | $21,096 |
| Wellstar Kennestone HospitalMarietta | 18 | $166,106 | $47,995 | $22,848 |
| Burke Medical CenterWaynesboro | 18 | $305,888 | $37,032 | $31,094 |
| Gwinnett Medical CenterLawrenceville | 17 | $212,852 | $33,033 | $30,646 |
| Piedmont Fayette HospitalFayetteville | 16 | $210,363 | $26,733 | $25,305 |
| St Mary's HospitalAthens | 15 | $118,834 | $29,432 | $27,483 |
| Northside Hospital CherokeeCanton | 12 | $221,453 | $45,370 | $23,679 |
| Athens Regional Medical CenterAthens | 12 | $185,794 | $33,333 | $24,694 |
| Wellstar Cobb HospitalAustell | 12 | $263,343 | $51,631 | $27,376 |
| Emory Johns Creek HospitalJohns Creek | 12 | $92,557 | $25,148 | $23,652 |
| Piedmont Columbus Regional MidtownColumbus | 11 | $174,144 | $24,808 | $23,180 |
| Piedmont Columbus Regional NorthsideColumbus | 11 | $155,580 | $31,557 | $16,076 |
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
| St Joseph's Hospital - SavannahSavannah, GA | $22,521 |
|---|---|
| Piedmont Columbus Regional MidtownColumbus, GA | $24,808 |
| Emory Johns Creek HospitalJohns Creek, GA | $25,148 |
| Northside Hospital ForsythCumming, GA | $26,319 |
| Piedmont Fayette HospitalFayetteville, GA | $26,733 |
Highest
| Wellstar Cobb HospitalAustell, GA | $51,631 |
|---|---|
| Wellstar Kennestone HospitalMarietta, GA | $47,995 |
| Northside Hospital CherokeeCanton, GA | $45,370 |
| Emory University HospitalAtlanta, GA | $39,022 |
| Burke Medical CenterWaynesboro, GA | $37,032 |
Spinal fusion except cervical without major complications in other states
Questions
How much does spinal fusion except cervical without major complications cost in Georgia?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for spinal fusion except cervical without major complications (DRG 460) at 20 hospitals in Georgia was billed at $168,708 on average, while the average total payment was $33,354, of which Medicare paid $25,946. 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 5.1 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.