Breathing problem needing a ventilator (up to 4 days) in North Carolina
MS-DRG 208: Respiratory system diagnosis with ventilator support <=96 hours
$89,941typical hospital bill
$23,005typical amount paid
$18,505–$42,946range paid across 26 hospitals
North Carolina hospitals billed Medicare a typical $89,941 for this stay in 2024, about 3.9 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)
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.