Alabama / Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System
CMS certification 010114 · Bessemer, AL
Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System: charges and Medicare payments
Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System reported 461 Medicare inpatient stays across 18 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 3.21 times what it was paid — mid-range in Alabama, number 29 of 45 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.24×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 98 stays at an average charge of $44,979, 50% below the national average. It also billed 561 outpatient services, charging 6.85 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 461
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 3.21×
- 3Rank in AL (highest ratio = 1) 29 of 45
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 0
Inpatient stays
For the 18 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System 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 | 98 | $44,979 | -50% | $13,694 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 47 | $32,447 | -46% | $9,795 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 41 | $21,197 | -62% | $9,593 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 31 | $23,514 | -38% | $6,748 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 25 | $20,151 | -50% | $6,581 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 24 | $28,684 | -62% | $11,030 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 24 | $30,164 | -41% | $8,949 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 21 | $30,577 | -57% | $11,380 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 21 | $25,631 | -49% | $8,345 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 20 | $22,741 | -54% | $8,217 |
| 603 Cellulitis without MCC | 17 | $21,066 | -44% | $7,000 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 16 | $26,957 | -44% | $7,651 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 15 | $137,405 | -40% | $32,932 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 14 | $16,384 | -57% | $7,649 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 12 | $29,465 | -49% | $9,153 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 12 | $61,592 | -39% | $14,032 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 12 | $29,591 | -51% | $9,583 |
| 312 Syncope and Collapse | 11 | $21,951 | -52% | $6,622 |
Outpatient services
| Service (APC) | Services | Avg charge | Medicare allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Observation Services | 162 | $12,957 | $2,230 |
| Level 2 Upper GI Procedures | 95 | $6,336 | $1,536 |
| Level 1 Intraocular Procedures | 52 | $12,861 | $1,889 |
| Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services | 40 | $25,335 | $4,817 |
| Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage | 33 | $8,312 | $1,321 |
| Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 30 | $31,667 | $5,972 |
| Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 26 | $47,765 | $10,975 |
| Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 23 | $18,192 | $2,515 |
| Level 1 Endovascular Procedures | 19 | $15,580 | $2,724 |
| Level 4 Urology and Related Services | 17 | $19,216 | $2,910 |
| Level 1 Nerve Procedures | 17 | $15,041 | $1,612 |
| Level 3 Vascular Procedures | 14 | $12,687 | $2,509 |
| Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage | 11 | $12,248 | $2,372 |
| Level 1 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures | 11 | $14,422 | $3,182 |
| Level 3 Urology and Related Services | 11 | $16,277 | $1,454 |
Against the Alabama average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System charged $44,979 on average, 44% less than the Alabama average of $80,125, and was paid $13,694 against a state average of $14,647. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System charged $32,447 on average, 35% less than the Alabama average of $50,009, and was paid $9,795 against a state average of $10,124. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System charged $21,197 on average, 52% less than the Alabama average of $43,997, and was paid $9,593 against a state average of $10,010. For Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC (DRG 690), Medical West, An Affiliate of UAB Health System charged $23,514 on average, 19% less than the Alabama average of $29,176, and was paid $6,748 against a state average of $6,893. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $12,957 was 22% below the state average of $16,650. For Level 2 Upper GI Procedures (outpatient APC 5302), its average charge of $6,336 was 62% below the state average of $16,696. For Level 1 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5491), its average charge of $12,861 was 24% above the state average of $10,352. For Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services (outpatient APC 5361), its average charge of $25,335 was 46% below the state average of $47,318.
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.