State report
Iowa hospitals: prices, quality and finances report
Updated November 11, 2026
#5of 52 states overall How states are ranked
118hospitals, with 45,476 Medicare stays
$3.72typical list price for every $1 of cost 36th highest of 51 states
43%of rated hospitals hold 4 or 5 CMS stars 19th highest share of 52 states
1 h 59 mintypical ER visit US typical 2 h 28 min
Compared with the country as a whole, Iowa's list prices are lower than the US typical, about as many hospitals earn top quality ratings and ER visits are shorter.
More on Iowa:All hospitalsBest hospitalsCost estimatorStates rankedOther states
IowaUnited States
List price per $1 of cost
$3.72US $4.74
Billed, compared with paid
4.0×US 5.0×
Hospitals with 4 or 5 stars
43%US 41%
Patients who would recommend
79%US 71%
Typical ER visit
1 h 59 minUS 2 h 28 min
Charity care, share of costs
0.8%US 1.8%
Iowa typical: $3.72
Most common hospital stays in Iowa
| Stay | Medicare stays | Typical bill | Typical paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sepsis, with major complications | 5,143 | $43,227 | $14,362 |
| Heart failure, with major complications | 2,899 | $29,146 | $9,521 |
| Pneumonia, with major complications | 1,449 | $29,569 | $9,606 |
| Lung infection, with major complications | 1,300 | $38,648 | $12,324 |
| Respiratory failure | 1,215 | $30,684 | $9,257 |
| Sepsis | 1,009 | $25,230 | $7,941 |
| Heart attack, with major complications | 947 | $39,254 | $11,355 |
| Stroke, with complications or clot-busting drug | 809 | $28,436 | $7,402 |
1 of 118 Iowa hospitals have their own cash prices and insurer rates on this site so far; more are added every night.
Sources: CMS Medicare inpatient data, hospital cost reports and Care Compare; hospitals' own price files. "Typical" is the median hospital. Star shares leave out Veterans Affairs and military hospitals. How the numbers work.