US Health Care Costs

Dysequilibrium in Iowa

MS-DRG 149: Dysequilibrium

$22,983typical hospital bill
$5,276typical amount paid
$5,263–$5,289range paid across 2 hospitals

Iowa hospitals billed Medicare a typical $22,983 for this stay in 2024, about 4.4 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
Mercyone Dubuque Medical CenterDubuque14$27,944$5,263
St Lukes HospitalCedar Rapids13$18,023$5,289

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.