US Health Care Costs

Spinal fusion (lower or mid back) in Georgia

MS-DRG 460: Spinal fusion except cervical without mcc

$175,649typical hospital bill
$33,021typical amount paid
$22,521–$51,631range paid across 20 hospitals

Georgia hospitals billed Medicare a typical $175,649 for this stay in 2024, about 5.3 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
St Joseph's Hospital - SavannahSavannah26$108,576$22,521
Piedmont Columbus Regional MidtownColumbus11$174,144$24,808
Emory Johns Creek HospitalJohns Creek12$92,557$25,148
Northside Hospital ForsythCumming29$177,153$26,319
Piedmont Fayette HospitalFayetteville16$210,363$26,733
Piedmont Augusta HospitalAugusta21$132,540$28,070
Piedmont Hospital, IncAtlanta30$199,407$29,293
St Mary's HospitalAthens15$118,834$29,432
Piedmont Columbus Regional NorthsideColumbus11$155,580$31,557
Emory University Hospital MidtownAtlanta43$109,806$33,010
Northside Hospital GwinnettLawrenceville17$212,852$33,033
Northside HospitalAtlanta42$250,741$33,212
Piedmont Athens Regional Medical CenterAthens12$185,794$33,333
Atrium Health Navicent the Medical CenterMacon37$157,455$34,051
Northeast Georgia Medical Center, IncGainesville23$221,816$34,605
Burke Medical CenterWaynesboro18$305,888$37,032
Emory University HospitalAtlanta66$98,603$39,022
Northside Hospital CherokeeCanton12$221,453$45,370
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical CenterMarietta18$166,106$47,995
Wellstar Cobb Medical CenterAustell12$263,343$51,631

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.