US Health Care Costs

Musc Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown

2435 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29204 · (803) 256-5300

General hospitalVoluntary non-profit - PrivateEmergency roomCMS rating ★★★★★

The money

$19what care cost the hospital for every $100 it billed
$11.8Mnet income, all sources
−9.5%margin on patient care alone
$13.5Mcost of charity care (4.1% of costs)
$2.8Munpaid bills written off (bad debt)
180beds

From the hospital's Medicare cost report for the year ending June 2025. Non-profit hospitals must have a financial assistance (charity care) policy; ask for it if a bill is hard to pay.

Hospital stays

Medicare figures are 2024 averages for this hospital; the bars show how much of the bill was actually paid.

Billed (list price)Actually paid (Medicare + patient)

StayMedicare staysBilledPaid
Sepsis, with major complications 871159$65,509$13,566
Heart procedure through a catheter (e.g. ablation, valve clip) 274130$134,824$22,442
Heart failure, with major complications 291116$32,168$8,440
Heart attack, with major complications 280101$44,839$10,274
Stomach or intestinal bleeding, with complications 37860$32,199$6,543
Pneumonia, with major complications 19357$34,585$8,701
Respiratory failure 18955$46,868$8,784
Heart catheterization 28749$27,692$7,720
Heart stent 32249$72,890$13,984
Heart attack, with complications 28146$24,812$6,432
Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures with Mcc 27343$146,344$27,416
Coronary Bypass Without Cardiac Catheterization Without Mcc 23641$155,403$30,395
Irregular heartbeat, with complications 30941$21,231$5,294
Kidney failure, with complications 68340$25,009$6,046
Heart catheterization, with major complications 28638$46,811$14,742
Stomach and digestive disorders 39238$20,795$5,323
Lung infection, with major complications 17737$43,003$10,515
Heart valve replacement through a catheter (TAVR), with major complications 26636$225,943$42,556
Kidney failure, with major complications 68235$54,537$11,202
Hip or knee replacement 47033$125,599$12,651
Infection needing surgery, with major complications 85333$176,920$36,614
Heart valve replacement through a catheter (TAVR) 26732$208,641$34,876
Irregular heartbeat, with major complications 30831$30,170$8,033
Dehydration and electrolyte problems, with major complications 64030$38,346$8,817
Irregular heartbeat 31029$18,564$3,810
Sepsis 87228$33,057$7,059
Anemia and blood disorders 81226$25,564$6,219
COPD, with major complications 19025$30,114$7,419
Urinary tract infection, with major complications 68924$29,011$7,898
Bowel surgery, with complications 33023$91,440$16,820
Dehydration and electrolyte problems 64123$29,469$5,563
Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with Cc 24322$108,416$15,149
Heart stent, with major complications or 4+ stents 32122$113,020$23,268
Urinary tract infection 69022$24,700$5,429
Skin infection (cellulitis) 60321$23,235$6,303
Stroke, with complications or clot-busting drug 06520$30,992$6,531
Pulmonary Embolism with Mcc or Acute Cor Pulmonale 17520$31,916$9,786
Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures Without Cc/Mcc 33120$95,754$11,211
Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive Without Cc/Mcc 28219$19,869$6,736
Stomach or intestinal bleeding, with major complications 37719$48,175$11,721
Stomach and digestive disorders, with major complications 39119$40,226$8,397
Stroke, with major complications 06418$52,437$12,968
Spinal fusion (lower or mid back) 46018$169,283$24,863
Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open Ablation Without Mcc 23417$171,638$34,227
Chest pain 31317$20,857$5,309
Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement Without Cc/Mcc 46816$159,298$21,982
Hip or thigh bone surgery (not replacement), with complications 48116$104,236$15,216
Other circulation problems, with major complications 31415$80,103$16,557
Bowel obstruction, with complications 38915$19,338$5,307
Anemia and blood disorders, with major complications 81115$47,659$9,847
Coronary Intravascular Lithotripsy with Intraluminal Device Without Mcc 32414$136,025$20,204
Mini-stroke (TIA) 06913$21,224$5,175
Other Vascular Procedures with Mcc 25213$97,630$27,246
Coronary Intravascular Lithotripsy with Intraluminal Device with Mcc 32313$169,140$30,805
Bowel surgery, with major complications 32913$172,452$32,037
Cervical Spinal Fusion with Cc 47213$130,627$19,611
Other Cerebrovascular Disorders with Cc 07112$31,034$7,163
Coronary Bypass Without Cardiac Catheterization with Mcc 23512$220,296$40,708
Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant Without Cc/Mcc 24412$82,019$13,541
Fainting 31212$20,878$6,372
Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion Without Cc/Mcc 45512$194,285$31,078
Extracranial Procedures Without Cc/Mcc 03911$81,273$7,652
Seizures with Mcc 10011$95,434$16,449
Major Chest Procedures with Mcc 16311$172,429$27,517
Pulmonary Embolism Without Mcc 17611$15,292$5,438
Acute Myocardial Infarction, Expired with Mcc 28311$82,792$14,687
Heart Failure and Shock with Cc 29211$26,018$5,774
Hip or thigh bone surgery (not replacement), with major complications 48011$131,700$19,200
Diabetes, with complications 63811$21,471$6,223

Cash and insurer prices for this hospital haven't been added yet. Every US hospital must publish them; search the hospital's website for "price transparency" or "standard charges".