Spinal fusion except cervical without major complications in North Carolina
What 22 hospitals in North Carolina 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
$145,978
Hospital list price billed
Average payment
$30,523
Medicare + patient + other payers
Medicare paid
$25,553
Average per stay
State rank
#14 of 43
1 = lowest average payment
Hospitals in North Carolina billed an average of $145,978 for spinal fusion except cervical without major complications, about 4.8 times the average total payment of $30,523. That payment is 10% 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 $30,523Billed $145,978
About 21¢ was paid for every $1 hospitals in North Carolina billed for this stay.
Medicare prices this stay in 2 versions, by how sick the patient was. Compare them in North Carolina:
North Carolina hospitals: spinal fusion except cervical without major complications
Every North Carolina hospital that billed Medicare for this stay at least 11 times. Click a column to sort.
| Hospital | Stays | Avg charge | Avg payment | Medicare paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University Medical CenterDurham | 66 | $129,935 | $38,625 | $30,516 |
| Carolinas Medical Center/Behav HealthCharlotte | 66 | $186,350 | $34,596 | $27,691 |
| Rex HospitalRaleigh | 47 | $94,049 | $27,556 | $21,385 |
| Presbyterian HospitalCharlotte | 39 | $178,455 | $27,181 | $25,601 |
| New Hanover Regional Medical CenterWilmington | 36 | $132,356 | $30,188 | $28,499 |
| Margaret R Pardee Mem HospitalHendersonville | 31 | $84,891 | $24,943 | $23,268 |
| Duke Health Raleigh HospitalRaleigh | 31 | $97,328 | $26,597 | $23,803 |
| Wakemed, Raleigh CampusRaleigh | 28 | $185,416 | $28,938 | $26,931 |
| Forsyth Memorial HospitalWinston-Salem | 27 | $122,129 | $33,232 | $23,231 |
| Haywood Regional Medical CenterClyde | 27 | $142,502 | $24,852 | $23,281 |
| North Carolina Baptist HospitalWinston-Salem | 23 | $219,692 | $42,676 | $31,865 |
| Lake Norman Regional Medical CenterMooresville | 21 | $184,273 | $26,191 | $22,398 |
| Firsthealth Moore Regional HospitalPinehurst | 17 | $111,909 | $26,697 | $22,272 |
| Memorial Mission Hospital and Asheville Surgery CeAsheville | 15 | $221,696 | $26,969 | $25,162 |
| Rowan Regional Medical CenterSalisbury | 15 | $146,303 | $25,382 | $23,730 |
| Moses H Cone Memorial Hospital, theGreensboro | 15 | $102,845 | $31,306 | $25,018 |
| Atrium Health PinevilleCharlotte | 15 | $175,653 | $29,036 | $20,153 |
| UNC HospitalsChapel Hill | 14 | $103,540 | $40,632 | $28,380 |
| Wakemed, Cary HospitalCary | 14 | $154,735 | $26,309 | $21,298 |
| Frye Regional Medical CenterHickory | 12 | $215,940 | $24,274 | $22,914 |
| Carolinas Medical Center-NortheastConcord | 11 | $151,716 | $27,315 | $25,430 |
| Caromont Regional Medical CenterGastonia | 11 | $128,144 | $25,285 | $23,884 |
Lowest and highest payments in North Carolina
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
| Frye Regional Medical CenterHickory, NC | $24,274 |
|---|---|
| Haywood Regional Medical CenterClyde, NC | $24,852 |
| Margaret R Pardee Mem HospitalHendersonville, NC | $24,943 |
| Caromont Regional Medical CenterGastonia, NC | $25,285 |
| Rowan Regional Medical CenterSalisbury, NC | $25,382 |
Highest
| North Carolina Baptist HospitalWinston-Salem, NC | $42,676 |
|---|---|
| UNC HospitalsChapel Hill, NC | $40,632 |
| Duke University Medical CenterDurham, NC | $38,625 |
| Carolinas Medical Center/Behav HealthCharlotte, NC | $34,596 |
| Forsyth Memorial HospitalWinston-Salem, NC | $33,232 |
Spinal fusion except cervical without major complications in other states
Questions
How much does spinal fusion except cervical without major complications cost in North Carolina?
In 2024 Medicare data, a hospital stay for spinal fusion except cervical without major complications (DRG 460) at 22 hospitals in North Carolina was billed at $145,978 on average, while the average total payment was $30,523, of which Medicare paid $25,553. 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 North Carolina, average charges were 4.8 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.