US Health Care Costs

Heart attack, with complications in Wisconsin

MS-DRG 281: Acute myocardial infarction, discharged alive with cc

$34,226typical hospital bill
$8,000typical amount paid
$6,295–$12,991range paid across 23 hospitals

Wisconsin hospitals billed Medicare a typical $34,226 for this stay in 2024, about 4.3 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
Marshfield Medical Center - WestonWeston15$30,219$6,295
Aurora Medical Center - SummitSummit13$34,992$6,396
Waukesha Memorial HospitalWaukesha21$40,224$6,425
Aurora Medical Center KenoshaKenosha14$39,649$6,706
Aurora BayCare Medical CtrGreen Bay11$33,921$6,751
Aspirus Wausau HospitalWausau21$34,998$6,861
Bellin Memorial HospitalGreen Bay12$16,267$7,024
Ssm Health St Mary's Hospital - MadisonMadison48$37,667$7,099
Froedtert South Inc.Kenosha12$30,724$7,161
Unitypoint Health - MeriterMadison27$42,800$7,390
Ascension All Saints HospitalRacine22$30,290$7,745
Ascension SE Wisconsin HospitalMilwaukee11$30,440$8,000
Thedacare Regional Medical Center - Appleton IncAppleton15$20,030$8,158
Gundersen Lutheran Medical CenterLa Crosse22$19,764$8,163
Ascension Columbia St Marys Hospital MilwaukeeMilwaukee11$54,103$8,247
Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Medical Center IncLa Crosse26$25,795$8,252
Mayo Clinic Health System Eau Claire HospitalEau Claire28$33,572$8,408
The Monroe ClinicMonroe12$33,432$8,495
Marshfield Medical CenterMarshfield21$34,226$9,185
Aurora St Lukes Medical CenterMilwaukee27$51,713$9,327
Beloit Health SystemBeloit16$76,156$10,913
University of Wi Hospitals & Clinics AuthorityMadison52$50,540$11,292
Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan CountySheboygan12$48,945$12,991

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.