Mary Greeley Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments

Mary Greeley Medical Center reported 1,766 Medicare inpatient stays across 62 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 3.75 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Iowa, number 6 of 27 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.32×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 291, Heart Failure and Shock with MCC: 151 stays at an average charge of $25,111, 55% below the national average. It also billed 3,943 outpatient services, charging 5.26 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 1,766
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 3.75×
3Rank in IA (highest ratio = 1) 6 of 27
4CMS price-transparency actions 4

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

Inpatient stays

For the 62 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Mary Greeley 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
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	151	$25,111	-55%	$8,447
871 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC	119	$46,890	-48%	$13,042
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	69	$38,757	-45%	$10,862
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	65	$25,539	-47%	$6,602
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	54	$42,075	-45%	$10,774
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	50	$34,160	-43%	$8,705
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	49	$21,657	-43%	$5,331
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	48	$26,468	-34%	$5,246
603 Cellulitis without MCC	44	$21,472	-42%	$6,510
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	39	$28,977	-48%	$6,686
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	37	$33,585	-42%	$8,799
683 Renal Failure with CC	37	$21,121	-48%	$5,998
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	36	$24,516	-48%	$6,632
460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC	35	$85,497	-50%	$24,036
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	35	$26,981	-45%	$7,125
178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC	34	$24,411	-46%	$6,510
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	33	$22,404	-42%	$5,703
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	32	$14,465	-60%	$4,999
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	31	$10,182	-65%	$4,051
312 Syncope and Collapse	30	$30,515	-33%	$7,105
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	29	$31,608	-38%	$7,949
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	28	$37,871	-26%	$7,637
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	28	$101,873	-56%	$30,240
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	27	$25,739	-55%	$7,960
682 Renal Failure with MCC	26	$35,345	-46%	$9,494
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	26	$34,796	-53%	$10,546
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	25	$38,252	-55%	$11,630
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	25	$52,481	-48%	$13,591
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	24	$31,977	-35%	$6,374
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	22	$26,581	-47%	$6,010
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	21	$75,427	-34%	$12,201
660 Kidney and Ureter Procedures for Non-Neoplasm with CC	20	$31,808	-53%	$8,783
948 Signs and Symptoms without MCC	19	$22,990	-40%	$5,324
394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC	18	$21,998	-53%	$6,195
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	18	$46,104	-51%	$12,476
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	18	$59,304	-42%	$13,621
242 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with MCC	17	$67,541	-58%	$23,970
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	17	$19,364	-48%	$5,095
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	17	$23,737	-47%	$6,051
066 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction without...	16	$24,546	-42%	$4,594
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	16	$68,633	-42%	$15,632
331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC	16	$48,289	-44%	$10,947
390 Gastrointestinal Obstruction without CC/MCC	16	$15,758	-44%	$3,754
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	16	$32,078	-47%	$8,406
417 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with MCC	16	$69,391	-44%	$15,149
418 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with CC	16	$43,812	-53%	$11,380
282 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive without CC/MCC	15	$27,357	-37%	$5,154
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	15	$18,404	-69%	$8,348
659 Kidney and Ureter Procedures for Non-Neoplasm with MCC	15	$59,420	-50%	$16,191
661 Kidney and Ureter Procedures for Non-Neoplasm without CC/MCC	15	$23,795	-58%	$7,562
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	14	$50,260	-50%	$12,882
195 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy without CC/MCC	13	$15,568	-48%	$4,145
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	13	$23,469	-40%	$5,310
057 Degenerative Nervous System Disorders without MCC	12	$24,246	-57%	$8,915
442 Disorders of Liver except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic...	12	$26,854	-44%	$6,174
191 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with CC	11	$23,526	-41%	$6,239
243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC	11	$50,431	-55%	$14,882
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	11	$37,400	-41%	$7,795
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	11	$131,966	-39%	$34,824
440 Disorders of Pancreas except Malignancy without CC/MCC	11	$26,485	-19%	$4,160

Showing the 60 most frequent of 62 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 1 Intraocular Procedures	646	$9,892	$1,994
Comprehensive Observation Services	524	$13,514	$2,326
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	354	$36,354	$11,234
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	260	$6,565	$1,385
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	192	$18,219	$4,425
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	163	$18,125	$2,779
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	148	$10,527	$1,749
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	145	$8,018	$1,610
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	133	$8,984	$1,638
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	130	$25,510	$6,031
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	127	$14,197	$2,713
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	123	$12,653	$2,994
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	115	$22,513	$4,826
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	104	$12,020	$2,716
Level 2 Musculoskeletal Procedures	74	$7,092	$1,365
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	70	$17,362	$2,937
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	59	$31,712	$8,836
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	56	$52,747	$9,302
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	51	$33,818	$9,165
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	45	$54,611	$15,652
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	45	$25,661	$4,908
Level 2 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	41	$27,274	$5,600
Level 4 Gynecologic Procedures	38	$10,620	$2,685
Level 3 Extraocular, Repair, and Plastic Eye Procedures	32	$10,963	$2,007
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	31	$8,830	$2,377

Against the Iowa average

For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Mary Greeley Medical Center charged $25,111 on average, 28% less than the Iowa average of $34,817, and was paid $8,447 against a state average of $9,846. For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Mary Greeley Medical Center charged $46,890 on average, 6% less than the Iowa average of $49,919, and was paid $13,042 against a state average of $14,771. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Mary Greeley Medical Center charged $38,757 on average, 8% less than the Iowa average of $42,217, and was paid $10,862 against a state average of $12,510. For Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC (DRG 378), Mary Greeley Medical Center charged $25,539 on average, 16% less than the Iowa average of $30,235, and was paid $6,602 against a state average of $7,517. For Level 1 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5491), its average charge of $9,892 was 4% above the state average of $9,485. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $13,514 was 23% below the state average of $17,461. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $36,354 was 26% below the state average of $49,177. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $6,565 was 18% below the state average of $8,055.

Price-transparency record

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

Warning Notice — 2021-06-23 (CMS case 359)
CAP Request — 2021-12-01 (CMS case 359)
Closure Notice — 2022-08-19 (CMS case 359)
Met Requirements — 2024-03-29 (CMS case 2170)

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.