Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital: charges and Medicare payments

Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital reported 3,564 Medicare inpatient stays across 97 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 4 times what it was paid — mid-range in Tennessee, number 37 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: 353 stays at an average charge of $54,138, 40% below the national average. It also billed 2,561 outpatient services, charging 8.6 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 3,564
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 4×
3Rank in TN (highest ratio = 1) 37 of 65
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

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

Inpatient stays

For the 97 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital charged more than the national average in 8 (8%). 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	353	$54,138	-40%	$15,012
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	243	$33,309	-41%	$10,401
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	179	$35,198	-41%	$10,806
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	111	$48,073	-32%	$13,447
683 Renal Failure with CC	84	$25,015	-39%	$7,666
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	74	$29,515	-42%	$9,779
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	73	$25,895	-36%	$6,921
682 Renal Failure with MCC	73	$38,312	-42%	$11,928
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	69	$156,328	-32%	$36,617
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	68	$24,356	-36%	$7,261
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	65	$24,095	-33%	$6,678
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	63	$43,865	-42%	$12,665
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	63	$30,284	-38%	$8,273
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	59	$34,674	-38%	$8,633
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	57	$23,052	-38%	$6,736
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	56	$76,122	-24%	$15,795
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	53	$38,429	-33%	$10,420
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	52	$32,363	-46%	$10,602
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	47	$74,637	-20%	$14,552
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	47	$78,632	-23%	$16,875
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	46	$36,690	-35%	$10,160
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	46	$53,119	-38%	$14,211
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	44	$24,924	-35%	$7,266
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	44	$49,641	-22%	$9,815
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	43	$54,342	-46%	$14,474
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	43	$117,665	+3%	$15,194
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	43	$49,725	-32%	$12,986
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	43	$33,813	-31%	$8,729
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	41	$16,287	-43%	$5,368
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	38	$27,694	-45%	$9,180
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	36	$29,276	-25%	$7,048
312 Syncope and Collapse	35	$29,954	-34%	$7,581
603 Cellulitis without MCC	33	$20,829	-44%	$7,835
163 Major Chest Procedures with MCC	31	$103,880	-51%	$34,128
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	31	$30,370	-36%	$8,519
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	31	$21,158	-52%	$7,370
305 Hypertension without MCC	30	$23,263	-42%	$6,630
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	29	$41,771	-17%	$7,805
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	29	$76,456	-32%	$16,677
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	29	$65,714	-45%	$19,031
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	29	$33,782	-45%	$10,690
394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC	26	$25,513	-46%	$7,896
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	25	$28,569	-42%	$8,265
175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale	24	$43,436	-33%	$10,629
178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC	24	$34,659	-24%	$9,082
234 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open...	24	$292,336	+9%	$39,941
563 Fracture, Sprain, Strain and Dislocation except Femur, Hip,...	22	$22,508	-47%	$7,707
331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC	21	$64,646	-25%	$13,155
100 Seizures with MCC	19	$59,416	-37%	$14,980
208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96...	19	$88,637	-35%	$21,919
482 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint without CC/MCC	19	$50,690	-35%	$12,393
036 Carotid Artery Stent Procedures without CC/MCC	18	$91,026	+3%	$14,968
164 Major Chest Procedures with CC	18	$71,853	-44%	$20,658
236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC	18	$245,598	+17%	$30,259
303 Atherosclerosis without MCC	18	$24,289	-31%	$5,899
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	18	$35,338	-63%	$15,016
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	18	$135,267	-17%	$22,055
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	18	$119,016	-45%	$33,385
393 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC	18	$59,784	-22%	$13,111
811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC	18	$38,417	-44%	$10,656

Showing the 60 most frequent of 97 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Comprehensive Observation Services	511	$13,788	$2,340
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	268	$62,911	$11,187
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	237	$28,152	$2,803
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	144	$10,006	$1,384
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	128	$16,362	$2,712
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	107	$39,910	$6,164
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	103	$48,165	$4,971
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	101	$30,986	$4,433
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	90	$24,514	$2,950
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	88	$10,640	$1,639
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	80	$94,149	$9,276
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	57	$14,514	$2,427
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	57	$69,909	$8,629
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	55	$49,530	$4,853
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	52	$10,553	$1,751
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	46	$54,649	$9,195
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	42	$126,488	$20,015
Level 3 Lower GI Procedures	40	$16,559	$2,419
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	39	$18,186	$2,789
Level 2 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	36	$28,023	$5,618
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	36	$91,763	$15,624
Level 2 Vascular Procedures	30	$7,225	$1,380
Level 4 Endovascular Procedures	30	$136,324	$13,195
Level 2 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	30	$45,845	$7,320
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	29	$43,789	$3,226

Against the Tennessee average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital charged $54,138 on average, 23% less than the Tennessee average of $70,379, and was paid $15,012 against a state average of $15,065. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital charged $33,309 on average, 28% less than the Tennessee average of $46,128, and was paid $10,401 against a state average of $10,346. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital charged $35,198 on average, 27% less than the Tennessee average of $48,160, and was paid $10,806 against a state average of $10,379. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital charged $48,073 on average, 11% less than the Tennessee average of $53,972, and was paid $13,447 against a state average of $12,921. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $13,788 was 31% below the state average of $19,917. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $62,911 was 4% below the state average of $65,840. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $28,152 was 1% above the state average of $27,751. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $10,006 was 3% below the state average of $10,318.

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.