US Health Care Costs

Dehydration and electrolyte problems in Iowa

MS-DRG 641: Miscellaneous disorders of nutrition, metabolism, fluids and electrolytes without mcc

$19,023typical hospital bill
$5,796typical amount paid
$5,095–$9,452range paid across 20 hospitals

Iowa hospitals billed Medicare a typical $19,023 for this stay in 2024, about 3.3 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)

HospitalCityMedicare staysBilledPaid
Mary Greeley Medical CenterAmes17$19,364$5,095
University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center DownIowa City18$30,807$5,237
Finley HospitalDubuque20$12,088$5,386
Mercyone Dubuque Medical CenterDubuque26$22,380$5,457
St Lukes HospitalCedar Rapids28$16,051$5,633
Lakes Regional HealthcareSpirit Lake16$14,791$5,646
Methodist Jennie EdmundsonCouncil Bluffs16$16,928$5,664
Trinity Regional Medical CenterFort Dodge13$20,761$5,700
Genesis Medical Center-DavenportDavenport45$16,647$5,756
Mercy Medical Center - Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids29$17,311$5,790
Allen HospitalWaterloo24$15,729$5,802
St Lukes Regional Medical CenterSioux City17$14,216$5,856
Mercyone Des Moines Medical CenterDes Moines33$40,105$6,008
Mercyone Siouxland Medical CenterSioux City11$23,384$6,100
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist MediDes Moines58$28,987$6,179
Mercyone North Iowa Medical CenterMason City40$25,654$6,467
Southeast Iowa Regional Medical CenterWest Burlington23$17,431$6,508
Mercyone Clinton Medical CenterClinton14$18,683$6,663
Mercyone Waterloo Medical CenterWaterloo14$23,332$6,703
University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City45$56,471$9,452

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.