Back and Neck Procedures Except Spinal Fusion Without Cc/Mcc in California
MS-DRG 520: Back and neck procedures except spinal fusion without cc/mcc
$131,603typical hospital bill
$15,798typical amount paid
$13,201–$22,963range paid across 9 hospitals
California hospitals billed Medicare a typical $131,603 for this stay in 2024, about 8.3 times what was actually paid. Medicare's payment depends mostly on the hospital's location and teaching role; the bill depends on the hospital's own price list, so bills vary far more than payments.
Billed (list price)Actually paid (Medicare + patient)
| Hospital | City | Medicare stays | Billed | Paid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoag Orthopedic Institute | Irvine | 11 | $65,024 | $13,201 | |
| Docs Surgical Hospital | Los Angeles | 18 | $86,010 | $13,223 | |
| Saint John's Health Center | Santa Monica | 15 | $59,712 | $13,739 | |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla | La Jolla | 12 | $131,603 | $13,822 | |
| John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus | Walnut Creek | 19 | $203,345 | $15,798 | |
| Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital | Santa Barbara | 29 | $66,220 | $16,284 | |
| Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | Los Angeles | 32 | $211,265 | $17,826 | |
| Scripps Green Hospital | La Jolla | 20 | $170,802 | $18,792 | |
| Stanford Health Care | Stanford | 11 | $186,522 | $22,963 |
Medicare: CMS, 2024 (hospitals with 11 or more Medicare stays). Cash and insurer prices: hospitals' own price files, where read; insurer figures are commercial plans only, median and 10th–90th percentile across plans.