State report
Kentucky hospitals: prices, quality and finances report
Updated November 11, 2026
#39of 52 states overall How states are ranked
104hospitals, with 73,307 Medicare stays
$4.88typical list price for every $1 of cost 16th highest of 51 states
23%of rated hospitals hold 4 or 5 CMS stars 43rd highest share of 52 states
2 h 20 mintypical ER visit US typical 2 h 28 min
Compared with the country as a whole, Kentucky's list prices are close to the US typical, fewer hospitals earn top quality ratings and ER visits are about as long.
More on Kentucky:All hospitalsBest hospitalsCost estimatorStates rankedOther states
KentuckyUnited States
List price per $1 of cost
$4.88US $4.74
Billed, compared with paid
4.9×US 5.0×
Hospitals with 4 or 5 stars
23%US 41%
Patients who would recommend
70%US 71%
Typical ER visit
2 h 20 minUS 2 h 28 min
Charity care, share of costs
1.4%US 1.8%
Kentucky typical: $4.88
Most common hospital stays in Kentucky
| Stay | Medicare stays | Typical bill | Typical paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sepsis, with major complications | 8,861 | $55,797 | $14,334 |
| Heart failure, with major complications | 4,869 | $38,659 | $9,607 |
| Pneumonia, with major complications | 2,917 | $43,277 | $9,856 |
| Lung infection, with major complications | 2,262 | $45,912 | $12,026 |
| Respiratory failure | 1,753 | $37,371 | $9,311 |
| Urinary tract infection | 1,518 | $26,271 | $6,220 |
| Sepsis | 1,426 | $34,093 | $7,900 |
| Kidney failure, with complications | 1,395 | $31,322 | $6,733 |
1 of 104 Kentucky 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.