Texas / Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin

CMS certification 450056 · Austin, TX · 3 entries in CMS's price-transparency list

Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin: charges and Medicare payments

Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin reported 2,015 Medicare inpatient stays across 75 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 8.09 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Texas, number 55 of 190 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 5.35×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 230 stays at an average charge of $129,158, 43% above the national average. It also billed 2,351 outpatient services, charging 14.29 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 2,015
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 8.09×
3Rank in TX (highest ratio = 1) 55 of 190
4CMS price-transparency actions 3

Average charge per stay at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin, its 10 most frequent DRGs, bars to scale. Source: CMS DY2024.

Inpatient stays

For the 75 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin charged more than the national average in 70 (93%). 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	230	$129,158	+43%	$16,902
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	105	$82,054	+46%	$12,280
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	77	$207,284	+122%	$17,047
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	74	$354,295	+60%	$37,265
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	66	$76,888	+29%	$11,560
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	62	$191,948	+22%	$25,425
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	55	$112,362	+48%	$14,377
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	52	$96,321	+36%	$17,545
454 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion with CC	42	$965,012	+245%	$120,448
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	41	$65,917	+34%	$9,657
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	37	$152,335	+28%	$24,072
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	36	$44,404	+23%	$7,749
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	36	$320,653	+40%	$46,621
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	33	$73,560	+28%	$11,928
472 Cervical Spinal Fusion with CC	32	$284,854	+99%	$24,506
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	30	$59,554	+7%	$10,575
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	28	$90,717	+50%	$12,006
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	27	$108,417	+9%	$15,865
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	27	$156,638	+40%	$18,700
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	27	$66,061	+36%	$9,570
220 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures...	26	$415,608	+51%	$41,888
101 Seizures without MCC	25	$59,726	+22%	$8,905
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	25	$78,851	+54%	$10,984
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	25	$53,682	+42%	$8,333
266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	24	$491,762	+73%	$56,744
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	24	$49,420	+23%	$8,451
603 Cellulitis without MCC	24	$35,967	-4%	$9,041
682 Renal Failure with MCC	22	$92,239	+40%	$13,013
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	21	$51,155	+31%	$9,108
683 Renal Failure with CC	21	$67,425	+66%	$8,892
175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale	20	$79,552	+22%	$15,332
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	20	$122,123	+100%	$12,922
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	20	$54,474	+47%	$8,069
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	19	$39,198	+36%	$6,275
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	19	$252,146	+17%	$37,455
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	19	$120,314	+19%	$16,817
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	19	$47,223	-3%	$9,298
467 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement with CC	18	$219,745	+39%	$26,214
483 Major Joint or Limb Reattachment Procedures of Upper...	18	$189,708	+50%	$20,523
066 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction without...	17	$46,822	+11%	$7,292
243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC	17	$218,665	+97%	$18,742
219 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures...	16	$604,173	+52%	$68,474
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	16	$205,470	+79%	$17,262
393 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC	16	$113,053	+47%	$13,913
460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC	16	$316,158	+86%	$35,563
003 ECMO or Tracheostomy with MV >96 Hours or Principal...	15	$1,249,090	+19%	$182,251
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	15	$47,377	+23%	$8,242
236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC	15	$317,171	+50%	$33,175
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	15	$53,339	+6%	$9,657
305 Hypertension without MCC	15	$38,810	-3%	$7,618
418 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with CC	15	$124,504	+34%	$12,820
468 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement without CC/MCC	15	$248,317	+100%	$21,307
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	14	$95,662	+50%	$11,789
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	14	$158,015	+85%	$15,532
457 Spinal Fusion except Cervical with Spinal Curvature,...	14	$754,931	+161%	$74,260
638 Diabetes with CC	14	$57,437	+38%	$8,496
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	14	$115,178	+57%	$16,433
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	14	$76,661	+73%	$9,083
057 Degenerative Nervous System Disorders without MCC	13	$52,863	-7%	$11,231
242 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with MCC	13	$255,376	+59%	$25,831

Showing the 60 most frequent of 75 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	257	$178,010	$11,547
Comprehensive Observation Services	212	$32,688	$2,391
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	184	$38,999	$2,873
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	150	$67,125	$5,062
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	122	$181,672	$20,852
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	114	$94,838	$8,821
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	104	$12,036	$1,413
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	98	$71,447	$6,297
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	88	$226,437	$16,369
Level 2 Intraocular Procedures	86	$41,721	$3,553
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	77	$49,526	$3,296
Level 5 ENT Procedures	68	$56,810	$5,154
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	68	$30,043	$2,764
Level 5 Airway Endoscopy	52	$70,417	$5,932
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	40	$50,259	$4,554
Level 2 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	39	$49,642	$5,740
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	39	$41,861	$3,068
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	37	$149,922	$9,676
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	37	$27,186	$1,793
Level 3 Extraocular, Repair, and Plastic Eye Procedures	36	$25,229	$2,057
Level 1 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	34	$27,392	$3,279
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	34	$177,176	$9,393
Level 2 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	33	$99,395	$7,478
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	33	$23,657	$1,508
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	31	$36,471	$3,045

Against the Texas average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin charged $129,158 on average, 16% more than the Texas average of $111,133, and was paid $16,902 against a state average of $16,694. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin charged $82,054 on average, 21% more than the Texas average of $67,944, and was paid $12,280 against a state average of $11,820. For Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of Lower Extremity without MCC (DRG 470), Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin charged $207,284 on average, 78% more than the Texas average of $116,220, and was paid $17,047 against a state average of $15,157. For Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement Procedures without MCC (DRG 267), Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin charged $354,295 on average, 27% more than the Texas average of $279,675, and was paid $37,265 against a state average of $39,524. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $178,010 was 80% above the state average of $98,771. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $32,688 was 17% above the state average of $27,955. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $38,999 was 8% above the state average of $36,220. For Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services (outpatient APC 5361), its average charge of $67,125 was 32% above the state average of $50,995.

Price-transparency record

CMS's enforcement list records these actions for a hospital named Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin in Austin, TX, under the federal hospital price-transparency rule (45 CFR part 180), which requires hospitals to post their standard charges online:

Met Requirements — 2021-01-07 (CMS case 59)
Met Requirements — 2025-04-02 (CMS case 3528)
Met Requirements — 2026-05-19 (CMS case 7799)

A warning notice or corrective-action request is not a finding of wrongdoing; "Met Requirements" and closure notices record that CMS's review ended. Matched to this hospital by exact name, city and state.

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.