Baldwin Health: charges and Medicare payments

Baldwin Health reported 974 Medicare inpatient stays across 40 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 9.81 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Alabama, number 7 of 45 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.24×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 87 stays at an average charge of $129,315, 43% above the national average. It also billed 1,557 outpatient services, charging 20.89 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 974
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 9.81×
3Rank in AL (highest ratio = 1) 7 of 45
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

Average charge per stay at Baldwin Health, its 10 most frequent DRGs, bars to scale. Source: CMS DY2024.

Inpatient stays

For the 40 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Baldwin Health charged more than the national average in 39 (98%). 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	87	$129,315	+43%	$14,824
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	77	$75,449	+34%	$10,008
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	42	$89,278	+49%	$10,677
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	40	$105,016	+116%	$8,434
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	38	$106,423	+51%	$12,308
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	37	$55,506	+47%	$6,726
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	34	$113,286	+49%	$11,461
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	33	$73,928	+44%	$9,219
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	30	$62,724	+56%	$6,608
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	30	$198,265	+97%	$16,802
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	28	$90,829	+58%	$10,001
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	28	$92,075	+88%	$8,273
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	24	$166,337	+63%	$15,808
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	23	$161,513	+73%	$15,190
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	22	$91,994	+82%	$8,879
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	22	$198,216	+73%	$14,095
683 Renal Failure with CC	22	$67,519	+66%	$7,522
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	21	$48,448	+34%	$5,928
312 Syncope and Collapse	21	$69,995	+54%	$7,198
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	19	$88,511	+56%	$9,838
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	19	$37,441	+30%	$4,884
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	19	$236,977	+45%	$21,386
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	19	$44,551	+20%	$6,406
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	17	$60,082	+57%	$6,731
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	17	$110,458	+73%	$8,902
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	16	$93,017	+84%	$7,843
682 Renal Failure with MCC	16	$100,159	+52%	$10,988
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	15	$124,009	+10%	$15,862
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	15	$283,179	+138%	$18,251
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	14	$69,681	+25%	$8,314
468 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement without CC/MCC	14	$216,884	+75%	$20,263
603 Cellulitis without MCC	14	$54,231	+45%	$7,346
638 Diabetes with CC	14	$65,318	+57%	$7,280
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	14	$107,874	+143%	$7,652
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	13	$69,630	+14%	$11,717
418 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with CC	13	$273,253	+193%	$12,929
208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96...	12	$135,344	0%	$20,306
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	12	$427,826	+99%	$42,076
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	12	$315,467	+38%	$34,807
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	11	$44,994	+16%	$6,749

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	173	$132,322	$10,550
Comprehensive Observation Services	164	$31,109	$2,252
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	113	$46,270	$2,701
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	110	$28,777	$1,317
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	101	$107,417	$5,753
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	89	$68,601	$2,794
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	85	$27,556	$1,537
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	83	$42,560	$1,675
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	78	$199,508	$4,789
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	69	$54,936	$4,226
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	63	$65,063	$2,629
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	41	$240,882	$19,227
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	35	$18,054	$1,603
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	33	$53,122	$2,310
Level 2 Musculoskeletal Procedures	33	$33,665	$1,314
Level 2 Vascular Procedures	30	$20,251	$1,224
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	30	$146,837	$9,127
Level 1 Intraocular Procedures	29	$30,716	$1,779
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	27	$42,632	$2,570
Level 4 Endovascular Procedures	26	$155,183	$11,735
Level 3 Airway Endoscopy	24	$29,117	$1,409
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	22	$214,447	$15,439
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	17	$139,276	$8,860
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	17	$96,830	$2,737
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	15	$194,592	$8,082

Against the Alabama average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Baldwin Health charged $129,315 on average, 61% more than the Alabama average of $80,125, and was paid $14,824 against a state average of $14,647. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Baldwin Health charged $75,449 on average, 71% more than the Alabama average of $43,997, and was paid $10,008 against a state average of $10,010. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), Baldwin Health charged $89,278 on average, 79% more than the Alabama average of $50,009, and was paid $10,677 against a state average of $10,124. For Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC (DRG 378), Baldwin Health charged $105,016 on average, 125% more than the Alabama average of $46,593, and was paid $8,434 against a state average of $7,985. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $132,322 was 67% above the state average of $79,031. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $31,109 was 87% above the state average of $16,650. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $46,270 was 53% above the state average of $30,210. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $28,777 was 155% above the state average of $11,270.

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.