State report
North Carolina hospitals: prices, quality and finances report
Updated November 11, 2026
#34of 52 states overall How states are ranked
121hospitals, with 149,256 Medicare stays
$4.44typical list price for every $1 of cost 21st highest of 51 states
42%of rated hospitals hold 4 or 5 CMS stars 21st highest share of 52 states
3 h 7 mintypical ER visit US typical 2 h 28 min
Compared with the country as a whole, North Carolina's list prices are close to the US typical, about as many hospitals earn top quality ratings and ER visits are longer.
More on North Carolina:All hospitalsBest hospitalsCost estimatorStates rankedOther states
North CarolinaUnited States
List price per $1 of cost
$4.44US $4.74
Billed, compared with paid
3.7×US 5.0×
Hospitals with 4 or 5 stars
42%US 41%
Patients who would recommend
71%US 71%
Typical ER visit
3 h 7 minUS 2 h 28 min
Charity care, share of costs
3.0%US 1.8%
North Carolina typical: $4.44
Most common hospital stays in North Carolina
| Stay | Medicare stays | Typical bill | Typical paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sepsis, with major complications | 14,182 | $51,586 | $15,092 |
| Heart failure, with major complications | 9,559 | $33,058 | $10,437 |
| Pneumonia, with major complications | 4,202 | $36,881 | $10,733 |
| Lung infection, with major complications | 4,177 | $42,397 | $12,882 |
| Urinary tract infection | 2,949 | $24,646 | $7,059 |
| Urinary tract infection, with major complications | 2,685 | $32,540 | $9,566 |
| Stomach or intestinal bleeding, with complications | 2,485 | $32,817 | $8,300 |
| Stomach and digestive disorders | 2,478 | $25,645 | $6,953 |
4 of 121 North Carolina 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.