Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital: charges and Medicare payments

Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital reported 7,289 Medicare inpatient stays across 185 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 5.37 times what it was paid — mid-range in Tennessee, number 22 of 65 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.42×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 407 stays at an average charge of $71,809, 20% below the national average. It also billed 6,279 outpatient services, charging 8.8 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 7,289
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 5.37×
3Rank in TN (highest ratio = 1) 22 of 65
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

Average charge per stay at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital, its 10 most frequent DRGs, bars to scale. Source: CMS DY2024.

Inpatient stays

For the 185 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital charged more than the national average in 21 (11%). Payments follow Medicare's rates, so they usually vary far less than charges.

DRG	Stays	Avg charge	vs US	Avg paid
871 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC	407	$71,809	-20%	$16,759
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	375	$40,929	-27%	$11,380
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	312	$234,232	+49%	$23,253
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	199	$42,654	-29%	$11,436
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	159	$324,072	+46%	$37,909
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	145	$52,329	-26%	$13,803
235 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization with MCC	124	$222,057	-24%	$45,446
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	111	$23,142	-42%	$7,342
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	102	$77,759	-22%	$16,396
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	102	$112,601	-2%	$14,271
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	98	$42,511	-24%	$9,292
236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC	98	$173,569	-18%	$30,620
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	98	$63,070	-17%	$13,851
266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	95	$373,033	+31%	$48,174
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	94	$20,493	-43%	$6,760
683 Renal Failure with CC	93	$28,922	-29%	$8,200
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	92	$78,577	-16%	$14,924
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	91	$81,588	-27%	$18,512
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	90	$30,917	-40%	$10,225
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	87	$157,443	-4%	$23,057
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	86	$28,195	-25%	$7,786
682 Renal Failure with MCC	84	$49,328	-25%	$12,714
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	83	$35,364	-27%	$9,021
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	83	$32,190	-34%	$9,003
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	68	$62,565	+32%	$10,615
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	66	$65,045	-11%	$15,069
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	64	$174,447	-24%	$41,202
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	63	$40,742	-19%	$8,335
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	63	$56,619	-11%	$9,649
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	62	$28,016	-27%	$7,642
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	62	$21,829	-24%	$5,413
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	58	$40,213	-18%	$10,484
233 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open...	57	$259,361	-33%	$57,361
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	56	$87,719	-26%	$19,558
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	55	$45,441	-21%	$10,705
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	55	$36,699	-35%	$10,380
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	54	$76,670	-10%	$16,163
312 Syncope and Collapse	53	$33,226	-27%	$7,917
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	53	$41,259	-32%	$11,526
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	52	$65,426	-31%	$16,929
652 Kidney Transplant	52	$299,297	-11%	$24,276
219 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures...	50	$372,475	-7%	$65,937
603 Cellulitis without MCC	50	$22,021	-41%	$8,108
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	48	$34,286	-7%	$7,449
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	47	$33,086	-46%	$11,287
025 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC	46	$148,218	-36%	$32,838
234 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open...	46	$233,380	-13%	$39,488
454 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion with CC	46	$340,612	+22%	$54,077
467 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement with CC	45	$142,038	-10%	$27,673
460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC	42	$172,631	+1%	$30,909
178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC	40	$25,309	-44%	$8,578
273 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures with MCC	39	$208,717	-3%	$31,062
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	39	$29,499	-24%	$7,947
175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale	38	$53,334	-18%	$12,137
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	37	$81,212	-19%	$16,368
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	36	$39,148	-23%	$9,506
243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC	36	$93,857	-15%	$20,169
305 Hypertension without MCC	34	$28,322	-29%	$7,036
638 Diabetes with CC	33	$24,890	-40%	$8,279
457 Spinal Fusion except Cervical with Spinal Curvature,...	31	$370,482	+28%	$65,267

Showing the 60 most frequent of 185 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	981	$27,334	$2,804
Comprehensive Observation Services	677	$14,447	$2,341
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	673	$159,685	$20,317
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	620	$69,735	$11,185
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	300	$90,591	$9,472
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	278	$12,566	$1,385
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	245	$56,332	$9,164
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	208	$15,682	$2,688
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	166	$67,886	$8,865
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	162	$37,628	$4,971
Level 4 Vascular Procedures	116	$27,797	$4,082
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	109	$43,135	$4,852
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	106	$12,386	$1,602
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	100	$23,022	$2,974
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	91	$91,570	$15,866
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	90	$26,747	$4,458
Level 5 Airway Endoscopy	89	$67,253	$5,844
Level 1 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	85	$21,777	$3,284
Level 2 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	85	$34,811	$5,618
Level 2 Vascular Procedures	85	$9,699	$1,372
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	84	$37,055	$3,165
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	75	$14,654	$2,423
Level 2 ICD and Similar Procedures	75	$212,113	$28,262
Level 2 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	63	$48,302	$7,227
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	62	$51,219	$6,164

Against the Tennessee average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital charged $71,809 on average, 2% more than the Tennessee average of $70,379, and was paid $16,759 against a state average of $15,065. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital charged $40,929 on average, 11% less than the Tennessee average of $46,128, and was paid $11,380 against a state average of $10,346. For Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC (DRG 274), Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital charged $234,232 on average, 50% more than the Tennessee average of $156,643, and was paid $23,253 against a state average of $24,179. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital charged $42,654 on average, 11% less than the Tennessee average of $48,160, and was paid $11,436 against a state average of $10,379. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $27,334 was 2% below the state average of $27,751. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $14,447 was 27% below the state average of $19,917. For Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures (outpatient APC 5213), its average charge of $159,685 was 10% below the state average of $176,464. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $69,735 was 6% above the state average of $65,840.

Price-transparency record

No action in CMS's price-transparency enforcement list (July 2026) matches this hospital's exact name, city and state. That can mean CMS has not reviewed it, or that it is listed under a different name.

Charges are the hospital's list prices averaged over its 2024 Medicare cases; payments are what those cases actually brought in. Neither is what you will pay. For a planned procedure, ask the hospital for its price estimate or, if you are uninsured or self-paying, a good-faith estimate.

Sources: CMS Medicare Inpatient Hospitals — by Provider and Service / by Geography and Service, data year 2024; CMS Medicare Outpatient Hospitals — by Provider and Service / by Geography and Service, data year 2024; CMS Hospital Price Transparency Enforcement Activities and Outcomes, July 2026. Checked 2026-10-24. Methodology.