Houston Healthcare: charges and Medicare payments

Houston Healthcare reported 2,506 Medicare inpatient stays across 65 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 3.09 times what it was paid — among the lower ratios in Georgia, number 65 of 74 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.44×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 456 stays at an average charge of $42,791, 53% below the national average. It also billed 1,747 outpatient services, charging 6.53 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 2,506
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 3.09×
3Rank in GA (highest ratio = 1) 65 of 74
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

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

Inpatient stays

For the 65 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Houston Healthcare 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	456	$42,791	-53%	$14,316
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	203	$28,165	-50%	$9,754
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	91	$39,297	-44%	$12,178
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	88	$28,822	-52%	$9,960
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	86	$41,398	-45%	$11,095
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	67	$22,464	-54%	$8,132
683 Renal Failure with CC	54	$17,867	-56%	$7,313
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	49	$49,894	-46%	$13,960
682 Renal Failure with MCC	49	$28,127	-57%	$11,175
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	48	$32,786	-55%	$12,031
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	43	$30,304	-47%	$10,008
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	43	$19,062	-47%	$6,403
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	42	$24,349	-50%	$8,050
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	42	$18,770	-50%	$6,717
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	42	$74,896	-67%	$32,207
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	41	$26,015	-57%	$10,108
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	40	$23,827	-54%	$9,256
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	39	$26,549	-53%	$9,525
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	39	$38,144	-55%	$13,067
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	38	$28,516	-49%	$8,060
312 Syncope and Collapse	37	$21,853	-52%	$7,218
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	34	$18,095	-55%	$6,778
069 Transient Ischemia without Thrombolytic	33	$25,835	-49%	$7,089
885 Psychoses	33	$21,041	-52%	$10,765
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	31	$30,584	-40%	$8,720
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	31	$23,691	-47%	$7,248
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	30	$52,171	-49%	$15,583
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	29	$86,078	-25%	$13,520
603 Cellulitis without MCC	28	$18,355	-51%	$7,368
811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC	28	$36,601	-46%	$10,616
305 Hypertension without MCC	27	$18,565	-54%	$6,534
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	27	$59,131	-41%	$15,164
100 Seizures with MCC	26	$40,172	-57%	$15,438
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	25	$41,679	-58%	$14,237
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	25	$18,489	-50%	$6,473
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	24	$15,571	-60%	$6,768
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	22	$32,853	-35%	$7,006
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	21	$24,872	-35%	$6,997
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	20	$101,645	-38%	$20,326
057 Degenerative Nervous System Disorders without MCC	19	$20,500	-64%	$9,533
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	19	$50,146	-55%	$15,467
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	19	$49,561	-48%	$15,124
175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale	18	$29,340	-55%	$10,774
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	18	$12,211	-57%	$5,105
637 Diabetes with MCC	18	$28,003	-58%	$11,004
101 Seizures without MCC	17	$20,569	-58%	$7,552
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	17	$36,105	-43%	$8,574
208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96...	16	$61,106	-55%	$18,268
091 Other Disorders of Nervous System with MCC	15	$55,180	-33%	$13,618
178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC	15	$28,789	-36%	$7,822
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	15	$81,035	-32%	$17,348
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	14	$22,978	-52%	$7,962
070 Other Cerebrovascular Disorders with MCC	13	$47,825	-37%	$15,776
300 Peripheral Vascular Disorders with CC	13	$27,316	-45%	$9,233
313 Chest Pain	13	$17,388	-56%	$6,173
536 Fractures of Hip and Pelvis without MCC	13	$17,200	-54%	$6,820
919 Complications of Treatment with MCC	13	$27,758	-69%	$13,076
282 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive without CC/MCC	12	$16,830	-61%	$6,137
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	12	$109,895	-49%	$33,234
062 Ischemic Stroke, Precerebral Occlusion or Transient Ischemia...	11	$70,889	-30%	$15,352

Showing the 60 most frequent of 65 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Comprehensive Observation Services	469	$12,683	$2,295
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	174	$23,126	$2,777
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	113	$25,895	$4,731
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	105	$42,303	$10,905
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	82	$8,289	$1,385
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	79	$7,751	$1,560
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	74	$12,447	$2,619
Level 2 Vascular Procedures	64	$9,729	$1,351
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	59	$27,561	$6,110
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	54	$9,795	$1,663
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	53	$14,585	$2,932
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	52	$16,169	$2,680
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	44	$23,888	$2,295
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	42	$18,440	$4,271
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	38	$67,437	$9,390
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	32	$43,858	$15,883
Level 2 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	27	$38,327	$5,569
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	27	$23,503	$2,867
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	23	$19,544	$3,198
Level 2 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	23	$23,985	$6,519
Level 2 Musculoskeletal Procedures	22	$8,458	$1,373
Complex GI Procedures	22	$20,222	$4,867
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	18	$9,304	$1,649
Level 4 Gynecologic Procedures	16	$13,194	$2,572
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	12	$34,436	$8,788

Against the Georgia average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Houston Healthcare charged $42,791 on average, 50% less than the Georgia average of $85,396, and was paid $14,316 against a state average of $17,147. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Houston Healthcare charged $28,165 on average, 47% less than the Georgia average of $52,781, and was paid $9,754 against a state average of $12,005. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Houston Healthcare charged $39,297 on average, 40% less than the Georgia average of $66,006, and was paid $12,178 against a state average of $14,774. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), Houston Healthcare charged $28,822 on average, 49% less than the Georgia average of $56,349, and was paid $9,960 against a state average of $12,110. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $12,683 was 39% below the state average of $20,900. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $23,126 was 14% below the state average of $26,927. For Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services (outpatient APC 5361), its average charge of $25,895 was 41% below the state average of $43,535. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $42,303 was 48% below the state average of $81,545.

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.