El Camino Hospital: charges and Medicare payments

El Camino Hospital reported 4,925 Medicare inpatient stays across 124 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 8.5 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in California, number 34 of 247 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 5.18×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 549 stays at an average charge of $197,829, 119% above the national average. It also billed 5,504 outpatient services, charging 10.2 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 4,925
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 8.5×
3Rank in CA (highest ratio = 1) 34 of 247
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

Average charge per stay at El Camino Hospital, its 10 most frequent DRGs, bars to scale. Source: CMS DY2024.

Inpatient stays

For the 124 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, El Camino Hospital charged more than the national average in 124 (100%). 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	549	$197,829	+119%	$22,517
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	295	$131,100	+133%	$14,480
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	164	$185,246	+162%	$20,736
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	140	$132,783	+122%	$15,048
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	138	$110,823	+126%	$12,300
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	123	$88,391	+134%	$9,286
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	105	$147,819	+101%	$19,161
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	102	$108,267	+123%	$12,653
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	93	$136,351	+137%	$15,007
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	93	$93,989	+134%	$9,047
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	85	$342,851	+55%	$52,932
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	82	$205,902	+172%	$20,567
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	77	$515,856	+125%	$68,816
178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC	74	$108,008	+138%	$10,913
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	73	$155,076	+178%	$12,991
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	72	$140,811	+134%	$16,803
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	69	$71,719	+94%	$8,943
683 Renal Failure with CC	68	$106,709	+162%	$11,165
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	67	$199,407	+98%	$22,612
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	62	$218,635	+39%	$35,187
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	62	$105,183	+105%	$12,906
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	60	$89,050	+132%	$9,446
603 Cellulitis without MCC	58	$88,887	+138%	$10,477
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	53	$83,269	+70%	$10,764
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	52	$99,845	+176%	$8,634
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	51	$216,272	+117%	$21,990
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	49	$210,855	+126%	$21,274
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	47	$175,975	+106%	$19,799
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	46	$84,041	+116%	$9,235
682 Renal Failure with MCC	44	$132,460	+101%	$16,189
312 Syncope and Collapse	41	$103,886	+128%	$9,911
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	39	$236,159	+98%	$27,225
455 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC	38	$512,392	+152%	$63,764
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	38	$208,013	+103%	$23,301
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	38	$96,715	+104%	$13,255
057 Degenerative Nervous System Disorders without MCC	36	$86,677	+53%	$14,568
394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC	35	$127,931	+172%	$11,613
266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	33	$475,656	+67%	$68,074
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	33	$124,019	+146%	$10,511
390 Gastrointestinal Obstruction without CC/MCC	33	$71,574	+156%	$6,736
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	32	$133,260	+135%	$13,587
563 Fracture, Sprain, Strain and Dislocation except Femur, Hip,...	32	$92,145	+116%	$10,065
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	31	$209,516	+83%	$23,457
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	30	$422,866	+97%	$59,227
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	29	$116,877	+131%	$12,351
393 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC	29	$168,022	+119%	$19,195
536 Fractures of Hip and Pelvis without MCC	28	$79,935	+112%	$8,960
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	27	$127,376	+109%	$14,379
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	26	$73,822	+157%	$6,550
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	25	$305,637	+87%	$33,174
644 Endocrine Disorders with CC	25	$121,547	+153%	$12,248
660 Kidney and Ureter Procedures for Non-Neoplasm with CC	25	$136,895	+103%	$15,068
066 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction without...	24	$110,836	+162%	$10,072
480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC	23	$405,004	+192%	$43,438
897 Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation...	23	$91,157	+146%	$9,846
176 Pulmonary Embolism without MCC	22	$119,893	+189%	$9,371
454 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion with CC	22	$680,333	+143%	$82,465
202 Bronchitis and Asthma with CC/MCC	21	$102,827	+123%	$10,942
435 Malignancy of Hepatobiliary System or Pancreas with MCC	21	$179,968	+90%	$21,704
453 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion with MCC	21	$763,059	+68%	$104,014

Showing the 60 most frequent of 124 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Comprehensive Observation Services	671	$57,738	$3,823
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	588	$153,342	$18,376
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	421	$66,435	$7,245
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	345	$25,084	$2,259
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	274	$86,702	$8,031
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	247	$131,735	$14,417
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	233	$21,023	$2,670
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	195	$38,751	$2,857
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	181	$42,991	$4,489
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	173	$50,397	$4,909
Level 1 Intraocular Procedures	170	$32,689	$3,282
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	147	$332,246	$33,132
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	137	$27,637	$4,001
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	137	$61,800	$4,596
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	124	$97,864	$9,998
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	119	$116,428	$15,345
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	113	$100,293	$15,008
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	97	$51,050	$8,048
Level 5 Airway Endoscopy	86	$76,274	$9,631
Level 6 Urology and Related Services	79	$88,512	$12,952
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	71	$203,240	$25,823
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	71	$53,294	$4,872
Level 4 Vascular Procedures	65	$72,990	$7,527
Level 4 Endovascular Procedures	65	$156,804	$24,624
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	46	$54,285	$4,558

Against the California average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), El Camino Hospital charged $197,829 on average, 38% more than the California average of $143,063, and was paid $22,517 against a state average of $23,020. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), El Camino Hospital charged $131,100 on average, 30% more than the California average of $100,739, and was paid $14,480 against a state average of $15,556. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), El Camino Hospital charged $185,246 on average, 49% more than the California average of $124,302, and was paid $20,736 against a state average of $18,986. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), El Camino Hospital charged $132,783 on average, 28% more than the California average of $103,761, and was paid $15,048 against a state average of $15,112. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $57,738 was 39% above the state average of $41,628. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $153,342 was 40% above the state average of $109,149. For Level 5 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5375), its average charge of $66,435 was 30% above the state average of $51,167. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $25,084 was 70% above the state average of $14,749.

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.