Arkansas / Baptist Health - Fort Smith
CMS certification 040055 · Fort Smith, AR
Baptist Health - Fort Smith: charges and Medicare payments
Baptist Health - Fort Smith reported 2,174 Medicare inpatient stays across 66 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 5.15 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Arkansas, number 6 of 32 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.99×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 259 stays at an average charge of $69,287, 23% below the national average. It also billed 2,458 outpatient services, charging 7.03 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 2,174
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 5.15×
- 3Rank in AR (highest ratio = 1) 6 of 32
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 0
Inpatient stays
For the 66 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Baptist Health - Fort Smith charged more than the national average in 1 (2%). 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 | 259 | $69,287 | -23% | $12,992 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 167 | $41,365 | -27% | $8,567 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 147 | $45,964 | -23% | $8,962 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 106 | $54,159 | -23% | $10,807 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 106 | $52,352 | -31% | $10,562 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 67 | $46,231 | -20% | $8,663 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 63 | $52,621 | -20% | $9,787 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 60 | $147,879 | -35% | $30,699 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 55 | $41,963 | -18% | $7,819 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 48 | $34,587 | -15% | $6,422 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 46 | $33,414 | -34% | $7,180 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 46 | $55,510 | -24% | $11,156 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 40 | $43,694 | -28% | $8,343 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 39 | $39,982 | -28% | $6,970 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 35 | $34,689 | -4% | $5,617 |
| 281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC | 34 | $37,868 | -25% | $6,483 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 33 | $33,707 | -9% | $5,548 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 32 | $64,678 | -24% | $11,499 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 29 | $43,921 | -10% | $6,486 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 28 | $31,657 | -16% | $5,693 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 27 | $28,837 | -25% | $5,909 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 25 | $91,533 | -23% | $16,226 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 24 | $36,846 | -8% | $5,898 |
| 305 Hypertension without MCC | 23 | $27,946 | -30% | $5,535 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 21 | $79,212 | -21% | $11,502 |
| 208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96... | 21 | $93,090 | -31% | $18,311 |
| 308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC | 21 | $52,225 | -8% | $8,345 |
| 329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC | 21 | $236,359 | +10% | $45,656 |
| 522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 21 | $72,611 | -29% | $14,148 |
| 391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 20 | $45,071 | -26% | $8,249 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 19 | $48,546 | -24% | $7,555 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 19 | $71,989 | -29% | $13,953 |
| 637 Diabetes with MCC | 19 | $44,660 | -33% | $9,204 |
| 035 Carotid Artery Stent Procedures with CC | 17 | $48,196 | -58% | $18,980 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 17 | $95,291 | -17% | $12,422 |
| 286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 16 | $69,209 | -38% | $15,700 |
| 304 Hypertension with MCC | 16 | $40,446 | -29% | $8,051 |
| 310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC | 16 | $28,744 | 0% | $4,334 |
| 389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC | 16 | $26,928 | -31% | $5,588 |
| 394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC | 16 | $41,830 | -11% | $6,636 |
| 870 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis with MV >96 Hours | 16 | $256,902 | -21% | $41,900 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 16 | $41,395 | -16% | $7,009 |
| 207 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support >96... | 15 | $243,648 | -17% | $45,471 |
| 321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 15 | $112,953 | -31% | $20,073 |
| 660 Kidney and Ureter Procedures for Non-Neoplasm with CC | 15 | $50,394 | -25% | $9,163 |
| 069 Transient Ischemia without Thrombolytic | 14 | $37,149 | -26% | $5,711 |
| 274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC | 14 | $76,978 | -51% | $21,590 |
| 699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC | 14 | $40,136 | -15% | $6,372 |
| 981 Extensive O.R. Procedures Unrelated To Principal Diagnosis... | 14 | $112,412 | -48% | $26,615 |
| 233 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open... | 13 | $307,288 | -20% | $50,365 |
| 267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 13 | $105,772 | -52% | $32,268 |
| 312 Syncope and Collapse | 13 | $34,597 | -24% | $5,696 |
| 460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC | 13 | $110,784 | -35% | $24,319 |
| 480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC | 13 | $79,562 | -43% | $18,661 |
| 812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC | 13 | $37,941 | -15% | $6,623 |
| 917 Poisoning and Toxic Effects of Drugs with MCC | 13 | $52,790 | -29% | $10,434 |
| 036 Carotid Artery Stent Procedures without CC/MCC | 12 | $45,048 | -49% | $12,337 |
| 253 Other Vascular Procedures with CC | 12 | $87,264 | -34% | $18,450 |
| 393 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC | 12 | $52,487 | -32% | $12,417 |
| 603 Cellulitis without MCC | 12 | $28,086 | -25% | $6,072 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 66 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the Arkansas average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Baptist Health - Fort Smith charged $69,287 on average, 23% more than the Arkansas average of $56,298, and was paid $12,992 against a state average of $14,253. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Baptist Health - Fort Smith charged $41,365 on average, 12% more than the Arkansas average of $37,089, and was paid $8,567 against a state average of $9,423. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), Baptist Health - Fort Smith charged $45,964 on average, 12% more than the Arkansas average of $41,156, and was paid $8,962 against a state average of $9,550. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Baptist Health - Fort Smith charged $54,159 on average, 12% more than the Arkansas average of $48,304, and was paid $10,807 against a state average of $11,852. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $19,090 was 26% above the state average of $15,198. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $18,849 was 29% above the state average of $14,661. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $9,642 was 17% above the state average of $8,211. For Level 3 Vascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5183), its average charge of $13,838 was 5% below the state average of $14,526.
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.