US Health Care Costs

Hip or thigh bone surgery (not replacement), with complications in Iowa

MS-DRG 481: Hip and femur procedures except major joint with cc

$56,680typical hospital bill
$14,831typical amount paid
$13,412–$21,081range paid across 22 hospitals

Iowa hospitals billed Medicare a typical $56,680 for this stay in 2024, about 3.8 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
Finley HospitalDubuque15$48,528$13,412
University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center DownIowa City22$66,837$13,429
Mary Greeley Medical CenterAmes25$52,481$13,591
St Lukes HospitalCedar Rapids26$55,813$13,596
Mercy Medical Center - Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids28$50,664$13,752
Genesis Medical Center-DavenportDavenport69$41,060$13,828
Mercyone Dubuque Medical CenterDubuque41$59,882$14,047
Mercyone Des Moines Medical CenterDes Moines73$84,293$14,388
Methodist Jennie EdmundsonCouncil Bluffs22$43,862$14,431
St Lukes Regional Medical CenterSioux City20$51,477$14,670
Allen HospitalWaterloo14$53,921$14,689
Lakes Regional HealthcareSpirit Lake11$39,170$14,974
Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist MediDes Moines89$73,918$14,988
Trinity Regional Medical CenterFort Dodge17$57,546$15,028
Chi Health Mercy Council BluffsCouncil Bluffs15$67,682$15,276
Mercyone Siouxland Medical CenterSioux City33$65,071$15,396
Mercyone Waterloo Medical CenterWaterloo22$76,286$15,758
Mercyone North Iowa Medical CenterMason City50$71,549$16,306
Spencer Municipal HospitalSpencer23$38,769$16,838
Ottumwa Regional Health CenterOttumwa13$65,108$17,227
Southeast Iowa Regional Medical CenterWest Burlington33$52,085$17,282
University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City84$100,012$21,081

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.