CMS certification 430014 · Aberdeen, SD

Avera St Lukes: charges and Medicare payments

Avera St Lukes reported 872 Medicare inpatient stays across 34 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 4.2 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in South Dakota, number 4 of 12 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.53×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 161 stays at an average charge of $61,302, 32% below the national average. It also billed 2,477 outpatient services, charging 5.83 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 872
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 4.2×
3Rank in SD (highest ratio = 1) 4 of 12
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

Average charge per stay at Avera St Lukes, its 10 most frequent DRGs, bars to scale. Source: CMS DY2024.

Inpatient stays

For the 34 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Avera St Lukes charged more than the national average in 0 (0%). 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	161	$61,302	-32%	$14,137
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	62	$53,635	-42%	$13,146
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	60	$48,540	-36%	$11,406
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	55	$33,854	-40%	$8,920
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	33	$57,702	-43%	$14,262
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	33	$32,313	-34%	$7,160
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	27	$119,627	-48%	$33,843
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	24	$67,724	-43%	$16,596
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	23	$38,696	-35%	$9,277
683 Renal Failure with CC	23	$26,840	-34%	$6,192
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	21	$59,188	-42%	$14,740
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	20	$102,274	-38%	$20,672
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	20	$115,677	-46%	$29,950
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	19	$35,567	-30%	$6,259
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	19	$30,705	-49%	$8,993
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	18	$62,912	-11%	$11,236
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	18	$29,298	-49%	$8,423
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	18	$40,162	-45%	$11,416
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	16	$76,674	-33%	$12,718
682 Renal Failure with MCC	16	$39,850	-40%	$10,012
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	15	$38,382	-31%	$7,145
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	15	$17,622	-39%	$3,933
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	15	$34,441	-29%	$6,776
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	15	$24,363	-39%	$5,520
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	14	$25,705	-34%	$5,633
480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC	14	$76,105	-45%	$19,338
282 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive without CC/MCC	13	$31,895	-26%	$5,050
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	13	$35,504	-58%	$11,370
390 Gastrointestinal Obstruction without CC/MCC	13	$17,377	-38%	$3,918
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	12	$60,648	-39%	$13,876
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	12	$37,097	-42%	$7,530
331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC	12	$44,227	-48%	$11,682
521 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	12	$83,907	-38%	$20,301
469 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	11	$91,894	-39%	$22,867

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 2 Urology and Related Services	316	$2,423	$637
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	198	$7,585	$1,894
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	168	$46,156	$12,258
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	165	$20,635	$2,664
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	150	$9,708	$1,520
Comprehensive Observation Services	148	$20,669	$2,552
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	146	$11,669	$1,800
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	128	$29,421	$6,707
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	114	$15,225	$3,268
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	87	$11,177	$2,961
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	86	$21,899	$3,060
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	78	$22,130	$5,410
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	74	$18,201	$3,002
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	67	$22,263	$4,851
Level 2 Musculoskeletal Procedures	59	$8,535	$1,507
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	59	$14,856	$3,244
Level 5 Airway Endoscopy	51	$31,706	$6,417
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	42	$53,604	$10,305
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	40	$33,204	$9,444
Level 3 Airway Endoscopy	29	$15,750	$1,591
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	28	$27,628	$3,511
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	28	$29,829	$5,206
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	26	$29,989	$10,004
Level 2 Vascular Procedures	25	$5,214	$1,502
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	22	$73,472	$17,434

Against the South Dakota average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Avera St Lukes charged $61,302 on average, 9% less than the South Dakota average of $67,007, and was paid $14,137 against a state average of $17,025. For Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of Lower Extremity without MCC (DRG 470), Avera St Lukes charged $53,635 on average, 2% more than the South Dakota average of $52,397, and was paid $13,146 against a state average of $13,781. For Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC (DRG 280), Avera St Lukes charged $48,540 on average, 14% less than the South Dakota average of $56,620, and was paid $11,406 against a state average of $13,155. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Avera St Lukes charged $33,854 on average, 23% less than the South Dakota average of $44,214, and was paid $8,920 against a state average of $11,100. For Level 2 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5372), its average charge of $2,423 was 3% above the state average of $2,357. For Level 3 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5373), its average charge of $7,585 was 6% above the state average of $7,172. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $46,156 was 5% below the state average of $48,584. For Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5073), its average charge of $20,635 was 10% above the state average of $18,703.

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.