Wisconsin / Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
CMS certification 520087 · La Crosse, WI · 2 entries in CMS's price-transparency list
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center reported 2,364 Medicare inpatient stays across 81 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 2.42 times what it was paid — among the lower ratios in Wisconsin, number 50 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: 276 stays at an average charge of $31,365, 65% below the national average. It also billed 7,516 outpatient services, charging 5.63 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 2,364
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 2.42×
- 3Rank in WI (highest ratio = 1) 50 of 55
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 2
Inpatient stays
For the 81 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center 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 | 276 | $31,365 | -65% | $17,134 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 135 | $24,207 | -57% | $11,219 |
| 885 Psychoses | 125 | $28,502 | -35% | $13,007 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 68 | $22,113 | -62% | $10,716 |
| 267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 68 | $122,933 | -44% | $40,242 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 67 | $53,434 | -47% | $17,961 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 61 | $17,332 | -65% | $9,073 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 53 | $18,471 | -55% | $8,534 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 50 | $46,771 | -59% | $15,455 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 45 | $23,200 | -58% | $9,407 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 45 | $83,926 | -29% | $24,386 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 45 | $23,133 | -65% | $12,767 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 44 | $28,545 | -62% | $13,604 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 41 | $20,957 | -57% | $8,678 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 39 | $29,340 | -60% | $15,527 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 38 | $21,755 | -64% | $11,551 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 36 | $25,394 | -75% | $15,709 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 35 | $26,233 | -56% | $11,480 |
| 308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC | 34 | $20,092 | -65% | $10,557 |
| 321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 34 | $57,011 | -65% | $24,061 |
| 522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 32 | $55,184 | -46% | $17,645 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 32 | $76,031 | -67% | $39,065 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 31 | $18,845 | -49% | $7,169 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 29 | $37,994 | -46% | $14,398 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 28 | $14,158 | -65% | $7,191 |
| 274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC | 25 | $74,905 | -52% | $26,196 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 25 | $12,305 | -66% | $6,961 |
| 208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96... | 23 | $34,610 | -74% | $22,565 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 23 | $32,429 | -62% | $15,280 |
| 389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC | 23 | $14,754 | -62% | $7,178 |
| 281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC | 22 | $19,764 | -61% | $8,163 |
| 418 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with CC | 22 | $52,881 | -43% | $13,961 |
| 266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 21 | $139,188 | -51% | $50,775 |
| 329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC | 20 | $103,293 | -52% | $44,941 |
| 699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC | 20 | $16,200 | -66% | $8,647 |
| 314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC | 19 | $38,794 | -59% | $17,918 |
| 331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC | 19 | $72,817 | -15% | $16,495 |
| 480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC | 19 | $72,651 | -48% | $24,707 |
| 854 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 19 | $48,399 | -51% | $18,309 |
| 917 Poisoning and Toxic Effects of Drugs with MCC | 19 | $44,821 | -40% | $15,972 |
| 394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC | 18 | $18,365 | -61% | $8,897 |
| 603 Cellulitis without MCC | 18 | $13,444 | -64% | $7,813 |
| 175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale | 17 | $20,611 | -68% | $11,762 |
| 243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC | 17 | $48,433 | -56% | $19,045 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 17 | $18,123 | -52% | $7,769 |
| 025 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC | 16 | $75,154 | -68% | $36,378 |
| 390 Gastrointestinal Obstruction without CC/MCC | 16 | $12,807 | -54% | $5,956 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 15 | $18,080 | -53% | $7,414 |
| 286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 15 | $40,959 | -64% | $18,523 |
| 417 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with MCC | 15 | $54,212 | -57% | $19,617 |
| 521 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 15 | $59,152 | -56% | $22,851 |
| 621 O.R. Procedures for Obesity without CC/MCC | 15 | $36,046 | -52% | $12,635 |
| 881 Depressive Neuroses | 15 | $20,634 | -35% | $10,073 |
| 244 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant without CC/MCC | 14 | $47,996 | -48% | $15,266 |
| 269 Aortic and Heart Assist Procedures except Pulsation Balloon... | 14 | $154,241 | -20% | $48,764 |
| 270 Other Major Cardiovascular Procedures with MCC | 14 | $107,328 | -59% | $43,964 |
| 419 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. without CC/MCC | 14 | $41,477 | -47% | $11,494 |
| 493 Lower Extremity and Humerus Procedures except Hip, Foot and... | 14 | $70,124 | -41% | $19,662 |
| 811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC | 14 | $14,362 | -79% | $11,963 |
| 100 Seizures with MCC | 13 | $28,944 | -69% | $14,836 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 81 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the Wisconsin average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center charged $31,365 on average, 47% less than the Wisconsin average of $59,481, and was paid $17,134 against a state average of $16,719. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center charged $24,207 on average, 39% less than the Wisconsin average of $39,564, and was paid $11,219 against a state average of $10,862. For Psychoses (DRG 885), Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center charged $28,502 on average, 2% more than the Wisconsin average of $27,914, and was paid $13,007 against a state average of $12,682. For Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure (DRG 189), Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center charged $22,113 on average, 45% less than the Wisconsin average of $40,535, and was paid $10,716 against a state average of $10,823. For Level 1 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5491), its average charge of $12,488 was 9% above the state average of $11,485. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $12,897 was 27% below the state average of $17,717. For Level 1 Nerve Procedures (outpatient APC 5431), its average charge of $7,295 was 22% below the state average of $9,348. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $6,861 was 23% below the state average of $8,908.
Price-transparency record
CMS's enforcement list records these actions for a hospital named Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI, under the federal hospital price-transparency rule (45 CFR part 180), which requires hospitals to post their standard charges online:
- Warning Notice — 2023-06-16 (CMS case 1189)
- Closure Notice — 2023-10-11 (CMS case 1189)
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.