New Mexico / Lovelace Medical Center

CMS certification 320009 · Albuquerque, NM · 1 entry in CMS's price-transparency list

Lovelace Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments

Lovelace Medical Center reported 2,246 Medicare inpatient stays across 79 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 8.58 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in New Mexico, number 1 of 16 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.13×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 188 stays at an average charge of $137,264, 52% above the national average. It also billed 2,640 outpatient services, charging 9.36 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 2,246
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 8.58×
3Rank in NM (highest ratio = 1) 1 of 16
4CMS price-transparency actions 1

Average charge per stay at Lovelace Medical Center, its 10 most frequent DRGs, bars to scale. Source: CMS DY2024.

Inpatient stays

For the 79 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Lovelace Medical Center charged more than the national average in 71 (90%). 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	188	$137,264	+52%	$14,356
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	174	$153,052	-2%	$22,630
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	156	$69,131	+23%	$8,953
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	80	$241,135	+9%	$33,755
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	64	$114,674	+51%	$12,484
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	56	$84,506	+41%	$9,479
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	48	$122,849	+7%	$13,335
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	46	$161,933	-1%	$19,839
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	44	$321,982	+41%	$38,857
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	43	$85,738	+21%	$12,004
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	41	$40,357	+12%	$5,513
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	39	$76,892	+58%	$8,347
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	38	$134,875	+20%	$15,605
069 Transient Ischemia without Thrombolytic	32	$50,349	0%	$6,200
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	32	$68,728	+8%	$7,940
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	32	$107,124	+25%	$12,078
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	31	$112,728	+13%	$14,334
236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC	31	$324,831	+54%	$28,983
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	31	$57,690	+14%	$6,440
682 Renal Failure with MCC	31	$112,472	+71%	$10,121
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	30	$66,402	+19%	$7,731
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	29	$57,613	+43%	$6,603
175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale	26	$83,722	+28%	$9,596
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	26	$151,262	+50%	$14,082
312 Syncope and Collapse	25	$46,308	+2%	$6,106
455 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC	25	$292,442	+44%	$33,328
683 Renal Failure with CC	25	$65,761	+62%	$6,576
242 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with MCC	24	$173,537	+8%	$25,156
234 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open...	23	$381,206	+42%	$34,918
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	23	$76,423	+56%	$6,889
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	22	$108,804	+78%	$9,585
273 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures with MCC	21	$215,915	+1%	$26,796
480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC	21	$216,083	+56%	$20,218
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	21	$71,829	+40%	$7,680
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	20	$293,221	+36%	$33,623
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	20	$142,979	+40%	$14,463
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	19	$142,622	+53%	$13,060
243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC	18	$132,601	+19%	$15,454
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	18	$59,204	+57%	$6,258
885 Psychoses	18	$107,325	+144%	$10,277
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	17	$91,679	+59%	$8,069
271 Other Major Cardiovascular Procedures with CC	17	$171,717	-1%	$28,021
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	17	$69,008	+22%	$8,451
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	17	$184,406	+55%	$16,489
445 Disorders of The Biliary Tract with CC	17	$84,822	+46%	$7,629
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	17	$120,521	+64%	$13,444
100 Seizures with MCC	16	$96,970	+3%	$12,504
266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	16	$400,069	+40%	$42,557
270 Other Major Cardiovascular Procedures with MCC	16	$218,780	-16%	$35,565
277 Cardiac Defibrillator Implant without MCC	16	$286,843	+22%	$32,460
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	16	$106,796	+13%	$14,415
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	16	$94,495	+57%	$9,202
101 Seizures without MCC	15	$59,630	+22%	$6,284
149 Dysequilibrium	15	$47,819	+8%	$5,319
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	15	$69,136	+37%	$7,706
300 Peripheral Vascular Disorders with CC	15	$78,497	+59%	$7,475
305 Hypertension without MCC	15	$49,490	+23%	$5,368
313 Chest Pain	15	$44,041	+10%	$5,153
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	15	$56,909	+46%	$7,142
467 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement with CC	15	$210,482	+33%	$24,486

Showing the 60 most frequent of 79 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	338	$115,847	$20,797
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	332	$101,925	$11,307
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	279	$32,873	$2,852
Level 2 Intraocular Procedures	221	$39,063	$3,521
Comprehensive Observation Services	193	$28,606	$2,416
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	106	$84,029	$9,653
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	100	$15,625	$1,675
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	99	$21,287	$2,732
Level 3 Extraocular, Repair, and Plastic Eye Procedures	93	$29,217	$2,051
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	81	$12,277	$1,421
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	65	$66,418	$9,325
Level 1 Intraocular Procedures	56	$36,757	$2,063
Level 4 Endovascular Procedures	55	$123,167	$14,985
Level 2 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	49	$48,081	$7,519
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	47	$69,915	$5,107
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	41	$66,784	$6,085
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	36	$22,778	$2,348
Level 3 Intraocular Procedures	36	$48,302	$4,626
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	34	$14,814	$1,803
Level 2 ICD and Similar Procedures	33	$206,862	$28,202
Level 4 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	29	$108,626	$17,208
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	28	$24,941	$3,062
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	27	$58,130	$4,580
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	25	$45,066	$2,750
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	24	$40,206	$3,085

Against the New Mexico average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Lovelace Medical Center charged $137,264 on average, 108% more than the New Mexico average of $65,967, and was paid $14,356 against a state average of $17,240. For Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC (DRG 274), Lovelace Medical Center charged $153,052 on average, 9% more than the New Mexico average of $140,937, and was paid $22,630 against a state average of $23,938. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Lovelace Medical Center charged $69,131 on average, 40% more than the New Mexico average of $49,310, and was paid $8,953 against a state average of $11,350. For Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement Procedures without MCC (DRG 267), Lovelace Medical Center charged $241,135 on average, 3% more than the New Mexico average of $234,179, and was paid $33,755 against a state average of $35,763. For Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures (outpatient APC 5213), its average charge of $115,847 was 14% above the state average of $101,884. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $101,925 was 38% above the state average of $73,720. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $32,873 was 9% below the state average of $36,265. For Level 2 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5492), its average charge of $39,063 was 10% above the state average of $35,585.

Price-transparency record

CMS's enforcement list records these actions for a hospital named Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, NM, under the federal hospital price-transparency rule (45 CFR part 180), which requires hospitals to post their standard charges online:

Met Requirements — 2025-04-24 (CMS case 4073)

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.