Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital: charges and Medicare payments

Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital reported 1,186 Medicare inpatient stays across 40 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 7.7 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Texas, number 60 of 190 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 5.35×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 261 stays at an average charge of $104,484, 16% above the national average. It also billed 1,835 outpatient services, charging 13.07 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 1,186
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 7.7×
3Rank in TX (highest ratio = 1) 60 of 190
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

Average charge per stay at Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital, 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, Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital charged more than the national average in 31 (78%). 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	261	$104,484	+16%	$14,228
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	85	$77,168	+37%	$8,967
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	50	$57,868	+18%	$7,345
683 Renal Failure with CC	45	$48,285	+19%	$6,386
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	42	$105,273	+49%	$11,695
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	42	$40,867	+8%	$5,887
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	38	$101,414	+34%	$10,956
682 Renal Failure with MCC	38	$66,317	+1%	$10,416
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	35	$68,188	+18%	$8,896
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	35	$96,009	+31%	$12,391
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	31	$41,796	+4%	$5,876
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	30	$286,908	+25%	$37,597
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	26	$50,541	-16%	$9,905
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	24	$46,697	+26%	$5,551
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	23	$79,085	-7%	$12,949
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	23	$138,376	+37%	$15,772
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	22	$40,932	+13%	$5,967
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	21	$53,566	+10%	$7,357
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	20	$52,935	-5%	$7,058
603 Cellulitis without MCC	20	$32,998	-12%	$6,215
312 Syncope and Collapse	17	$48,528	+7%	$6,080
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	17	$45,730	+17%	$6,092
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	17	$48,660	-5%	$8,207
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	16	$51,322	-14%	$9,989
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	16	$113,254	-1%	$12,934
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	16	$55,565	+17%	$8,212
242 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with MCC	15	$215,491	+34%	$26,233
273 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures with MCC	15	$294,854	+38%	$30,686
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	14	$162,347	+45%	$19,182
638 Diabetes with CC	14	$50,795	+22%	$6,675
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	13	$62,743	+24%	$6,405
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	13	$178,244	+9%	$20,384
394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC	13	$38,536	-18%	$7,349
178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC	12	$62,062	+37%	$8,112
854 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	12	$128,888	+31%	$14,404
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	11	$65,989	-34%	$12,721
175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale	11	$94,497	+45%	$10,139
243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC	11	$129,673	+17%	$16,085
299 Peripheral Vascular Disorders with MCC	11	$94,297	+26%	$10,705
331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC	11	$115,308	+34%	$12,279

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Comprehensive Observation Services	535	$28,547	$2,494
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	153	$120,399	$12,118
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	112	$18,550	$1,465
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	107	$76,070	$6,250
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	99	$21,630	$1,790
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	74	$69,361	$5,350
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	62	$31,524	$2,601
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	61	$25,816	$3,026
Level 3 Lower GI Procedures	53	$18,953	$2,527
Level 2 Musculoskeletal Procedures	51	$21,465	$1,467
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	49	$38,573	$2,463
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	47	$16,280	$1,734
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	46	$46,093	$3,233
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	44	$41,432	$4,798
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	42	$30,267	$2,900
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	34	$24,900	$1,889
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	28	$60,569	$3,208
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	23	$41,373	$5,116
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	23	$162,829	$21,082
Level 6 Urology and Related Services	23	$75,600	$8,540
Level 1 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	22	$54,933	$3,406
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	21	$29,220	$3,341
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	19	$84,712	$9,894
Level 2 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	17	$79,124	$5,763
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	17	$73,232	$10,192

Against the Texas average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital charged $104,484 on average, 6% less than the Texas average of $111,133, and was paid $14,228 against a state average of $16,694. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital charged $77,168 on average, 14% more than the Texas average of $67,944, and was paid $8,967 against a state average of $11,820. For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC (DRG 872), Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital charged $57,868 on average, 1% less than the Texas average of $58,253, and was paid $7,345 against a state average of $10,103. For Renal Failure with CC (DRG 683), Houston Methodist Clear Lake Hospital charged $48,285 on average, 1% less than the Texas average of $48,947, and was paid $6,386 against a state average of $8,830. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $28,547 was 2% above the state average of $27,955. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $120,399 was 22% above the state average of $98,771. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $18,550 was 32% above the state average of $14,089. For Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5114), its average charge of $76,070 was 29% above the state average of $58,833.

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.