District of Columbia / Howard University Hospital Corp
CMS certification 090003 · Washington, DC
Howard University Hospital Corp: charges and Medicare payments
Howard University Hospital Corp reported 585 Medicare inpatient stays across 26 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 2.73 times what it was paid — among the lower ratios in District of Columbia, number 6 of 6 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.83×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 124 stays at an average charge of $104,810, 16% above the national average. It also billed 326 outpatient services, charging 6.6 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 585
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 2.73×
- 3Rank in DC (highest ratio = 1) 6 of 6
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 0
Inpatient stays
For the 26 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Howard University Hospital Corp charged more than the national average in 5 (19%). 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 | 124 | $104,810 | +16% | $33,883 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 57 | $52,501 | -7% | $20,567 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 24 | $58,586 | -11% | $22,897 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 24 | $26,061 | -31% | $13,319 |
| 885 Psychoses | 22 | $31,032 | -30% | $22,452 |
| 812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC | 21 | $32,308 | -27% | $14,660 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 20 | $35,693 | -4% | $12,863 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 20 | $183,049 | -20% | $72,695 |
| 870 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis with MV >96 Hours | 20 | $293,325 | -9% | $96,078 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 19 | $86,346 | +14% | $27,932 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 19 | $40,562 | -16% | $15,790 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 19 | $33,118 | -19% | $16,090 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 17 | $73,757 | +46% | $20,144 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 17 | $37,165 | -38% | $20,378 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 17 | $37,889 | -23% | $17,042 |
| 638 Diabetes with CC | 15 | $32,279 | -23% | $15,871 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 14 | $110,370 | +11% | $34,933 |
| 312 Syncope and Collapse | 14 | $42,135 | -7% | $14,844 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 13 | $52,451 | -6% | $15,849 |
| 191 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with CC | 13 | $30,832 | -22% | $13,910 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 13 | $44,210 | -26% | $20,175 |
| 313 Chest Pain | 13 | $22,342 | -44% | $11,112 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 13 | $77,289 | -9% | $30,672 |
| 897 Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation... | 13 | $21,782 | -41% | $13,602 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 12 | $93,583 | +63% | $21,715 |
| 811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC | 12 | $31,884 | -53% | $21,455 |
Outpatient services
| Service (APC) | Services | Avg charge | Medicare allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Intraocular Procedures | 173 | $10,611 | $2,363 |
| Comprehensive Observation Services | 43 | $19,484 | $2,801 |
| Level 4 Urology and Related Services | 21 | $16,260 | $3,397 |
| Level 3 Urology and Related Services | 19 | $13,994 | $1,974 |
| Level 1 Endovascular Procedures | 18 | $27,292 | $3,340 |
| Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage | 16 | $6,057 | $1,659 |
| Level 2 Intraocular Procedures | 13 | $15,448 | $3,914 |
| Level 3 Vascular Procedures | 12 | $14,461 | $3,261 |
| Level 2 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 11 | $7,933 | $1,644 |
Against the District of Columbia average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Howard University Hospital Corp charged $104,810 on average, 5% less than the District of Columbia average of $110,527, and was paid $33,883 against a state average of $23,955. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Howard University Hospital Corp charged $52,501 on average, 28% less than the District of Columbia average of $72,832, and was paid $20,567 against a state average of $15,583. For Renal Failure with MCC (DRG 682), Howard University Hospital Corp charged $58,586 on average, 24% less than the District of Columbia average of $77,362, and was paid $22,897 against a state average of $17,170. For Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC (DRG 690), Howard University Hospital Corp charged $26,061 on average, 40% less than the District of Columbia average of $43,774, and was paid $13,319 against a state average of $9,978. For Level 1 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5491), its average charge of $10,611 was 54% below the state average of $23,010. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $19,484 was 24% below the state average of $25,706. For Level 4 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5374), its average charge of $16,260 was 28% below the state average of $22,718. For Level 3 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5373), its average charge of $13,994 was 18% below the state average of $16,973.
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.