Wisconsin / Aspirus Wausau Hospital
CMS certification 520030 · Wausau, WI · 4 entries in CMS's price-transparency list
Aspirus Wausau Hospital: charges and Medicare payments
Aspirus Wausau Hospital reported 2,339 Medicare inpatient stays across 74 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 3.39 times what it was paid — mid-range in Wisconsin, number 30 of 55 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.47×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 186 stays at an average charge of $60,956, 32% below the national average. It also billed 2,190 outpatient services, charging 4.95 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 2,339
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 3.39×
- 3Rank in WI (highest ratio = 1) 30 of 55
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 4
Inpatient stays
For the 74 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Aspirus Wausau Hospital charged more than the national average in 1 (1%). 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 | 186 | $60,956 | -32% | $15,019 |
| 266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 161 | $122,508 | -57% | $43,565 |
| 274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC | 152 | $66,886 | -57% | $22,944 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 149 | $40,621 | -28% | $10,187 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 71 | $108,033 | -53% | $35,663 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 65 | $40,051 | -30% | $10,879 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 52 | $57,924 | -49% | $13,724 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 52 | $31,159 | -36% | $8,822 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 50 | $31,062 | -36% | $8,454 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 44 | $34,488 | -46% | $9,041 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 41 | $62,893 | -37% | $14,529 |
| 321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 40 | $74,506 | -54% | $22,254 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 39 | $24,002 | -34% | $5,931 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 38 | $34,451 | -38% | $8,146 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 38 | $25,233 | -38% | $6,728 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 37 | $43,456 | -27% | $10,822 |
| 286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 37 | $77,290 | -31% | $19,146 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 37 | $60,344 | -49% | $18,439 |
| 243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC | 36 | $52,478 | -53% | $17,046 |
| 470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of... | 33 | $53,526 | -43% | $13,527 |
| 253 Other Vascular Procedures with CC | 32 | $65,650 | -50% | $19,371 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 32 | $53,378 | -30% | $11,647 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 30 | $58,136 | -32% | $13,962 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 28 | $55,923 | -21% | $12,256 |
| 308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC | 27 | $43,555 | -23% | $9,988 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 27 | $36,588 | -50% | $11,480 |
| 460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC | 26 | $98,815 | -42% | $28,994 |
| 164 Major Chest Procedures with CC | 25 | $73,676 | -42% | $21,254 |
| 242 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with MCC | 24 | $71,150 | -56% | $25,574 |
| 314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC | 24 | $52,515 | -45% | $15,040 |
| 220 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures... | 23 | $141,286 | -49% | $42,771 |
| 038 Extracranial Procedures with CC | 22 | $30,951 | -65% | $12,342 |
| 163 Major Chest Procedures with MCC | 22 | $79,201 | -62% | $28,295 |
| 660 Kidney and Ureter Procedures for Non-Neoplasm with CC | 22 | $28,676 | -58% | $11,487 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 22 | $21,424 | -43% | $6,106 |
| 281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC | 21 | $34,998 | -31% | $6,861 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 21 | $58,160 | -42% | $16,153 |
| 552 Medical Back Problems without MCC | 21 | $48,690 | 0% | $11,813 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 21 | $24,990 | -33% | $5,821 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 21 | $59,720 | -9% | $10,638 |
| 039 Extracranial Procedures without CC/MCC | 20 | $29,248 | -54% | $9,171 |
| 229 Other Cardiothoracic Procedures without MCC | 19 | $77,899 | -53% | $23,907 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 19 | $24,227 | -40% | $5,946 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 18 | $32,049 | -47% | $10,417 |
| 813 Coagulation Disorders | 18 | $36,958 | -54% | $11,358 |
| 234 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open... | 16 | $147,145 | -45% | $40,048 |
| 267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 16 | $127,456 | -42% | $38,857 |
| 310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC | 16 | $20,318 | -29% | $4,709 |
| 493 Lower Extremity and Humerus Procedures except Hip, Foot and... | 16 | $80,339 | -33% | $25,210 |
| 086 Traumatic Stupor and Coma <1 Hour with CC | 15 | $43,030 | -37% | $9,657 |
| 208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96... | 15 | $84,576 | -38% | $26,151 |
| 236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC | 15 | $103,621 | -51% | $32,590 |
| 244 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant without CC/MCC | 15 | $41,991 | -55% | $13,101 |
| 269 Aortic and Heart Assist Procedures except Pulsation Balloon... | 15 | $80,841 | -58% | $32,777 |
| 329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC | 15 | $157,262 | -27% | $42,380 |
| 854 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 15 | $49,572 | -50% | $13,926 |
| 870 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis with MV >96 Hours | 15 | $174,795 | -46% | $63,638 |
| 219 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures... | 14 | $177,530 | -55% | $58,311 |
| 273 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures with MCC | 14 | $84,389 | -61% | $27,662 |
| 036 Carotid Artery Stent Procedures without CC/MCC | 13 | $37,829 | -57% | $12,943 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 74 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the Wisconsin average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Aspirus Wausau Hospital charged $60,956 on average, 2% more than the Wisconsin average of $59,481, and was paid $15,019 against a state average of $16,719. For Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement Procedures with MCC (DRG 266), Aspirus Wausau Hospital charged $122,508 on average, 38% less than the Wisconsin average of $198,824, and was paid $43,565 against a state average of $52,140. For Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC (DRG 274), Aspirus Wausau Hospital charged $66,886 on average, 38% less than the Wisconsin average of $107,338, and was paid $22,944 against a state average of $25,143. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Aspirus Wausau Hospital charged $40,621 on average, 3% more than the Wisconsin average of $39,564, and was paid $10,187 against a state average of $10,862. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $7,568 was 15% below the state average of $8,908. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $20,947 was 12% below the state average of $23,760. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $44,542 was 11% below the state average of $50,282. For Level 2 Upper GI Procedures (outpatient APC 5302), its average charge of $9,234 was 21% below the state average of $11,645.
Price-transparency record
CMS's enforcement list records these actions for a hospital named Aspirus Wausau Hospital in Wausau, WI, under the federal hospital price-transparency rule (45 CFR part 180), which requires hospitals to post their standard charges online:
- Warning Notice — 2021-05-18 (CMS case 98)
- CAP Request — 2021-10-27 (CMS case 98)
- Closure Notice — 2022-02-08 (CMS case 98)
- Met Requirements — 2026-02-02 (CMS case 6913)
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.