Iowa / Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center
CMS certification 160064 · Mason City, IA · 3 entries in CMS's price-transparency list
Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments
Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center reported 2,500 Medicare inpatient stays across 75 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 4.27 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Iowa, number 5 of 27 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.32×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 181 stays at an average charge of $59,899, 34% below the national average. It also billed 3,829 outpatient services, charging 5.33 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 2,500
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 4.27×
- 3Rank in IA (highest ratio = 1) 5 of 27
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 3
Inpatient stays
For the 75 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center charged more than the national average in 4 (5%). 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 | 181 | $59,899 | -34% | $15,728 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 159 | $41,400 | -27% | $10,612 |
| 885 Psychoses | 127 | $41,960 | -5% | $12,033 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 114 | $36,808 | -38% | $10,690 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 70 | $54,772 | -22% | $13,561 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 65 | $56,445 | -26% | $13,139 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 53 | $35,612 | -27% | $8,688 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 50 | $71,549 | -29% | $16,306 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 49 | $29,222 | -19% | $6,142 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 49 | $27,448 | -27% | $6,644 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 47 | $40,656 | -16% | $8,005 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 46 | $62,807 | -37% | $15,936 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 44 | $30,909 | -23% | $6,463 |
| 552 Medical Back Problems without MCC | 44 | $27,731 | -43% | $8,191 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 43 | $43,822 | -34% | $12,419 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 43 | $30,665 | -25% | $7,606 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 42 | $44,102 | -21% | $8,682 |
| 470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of... | 41 | $67,185 | -28% | $14,545 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 40 | $47,431 | -18% | $10,249 |
| 274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC | 40 | $74,166 | -53% | $24,360 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 40 | $25,654 | -31% | $6,467 |
| 267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 39 | $133,983 | -39% | $36,558 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 38 | $84,672 | -26% | $15,092 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 37 | $47,209 | -26% | $8,720 |
| 312 Syncope and Collapse | 34 | $28,447 | -38% | $7,059 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 32 | $34,460 | -32% | $8,995 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 32 | $32,465 | -37% | $9,498 |
| 308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC | 30 | $35,039 | -38% | $9,628 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 29 | $104,346 | -12% | $19,379 |
| 281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC | 28 | $43,963 | -13% | $7,456 |
| 310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC | 28 | $18,338 | -36% | $4,672 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 28 | $31,147 | -48% | $10,532 |
| 522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 27 | $77,815 | -24% | $16,595 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 27 | $73,287 | 0% | $14,336 |
| 948 Signs and Symptoms without MCC | 26 | $24,976 | -34% | $6,593 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 25 | $51,259 | -40% | $14,191 |
| 460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC | 25 | $92,755 | -46% | $27,802 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 25 | $157,378 | -31% | $40,844 |
| 069 Transient Ischemia without Thrombolytic | 24 | $34,756 | -31% | $6,483 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 24 | $24,886 | -35% | $6,704 |
| 234 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open... | 24 | $317,978 | +18% | $44,337 |
| 305 Hypertension without MCC | 22 | $24,023 | -40% | $6,095 |
| 175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale | 21 | $45,667 | -30% | $11,327 |
| 236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC | 21 | $286,168 | +36% | $35,838 |
| 603 Cellulitis without MCC | 21 | $26,993 | -28% | $7,322 |
| 243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC | 19 | $65,311 | -41% | $17,512 |
| 521 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 19 | $84,109 | -38% | $22,816 |
| 638 Diabetes with CC | 19 | $33,270 | -20% | $7,820 |
| 897 Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation... | 19 | $27,845 | -25% | $7,231 |
| 101 Seizures without MCC | 18 | $31,591 | -35% | $7,357 |
| 389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC | 18 | $32,460 | -17% | $6,760 |
| 300 Peripheral Vascular Disorders with CC | 17 | $51,386 | +4% | $9,488 |
| 480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC | 17 | $87,026 | -37% | $22,767 |
| 563 Fracture, Sprain, Strain and Dislocation except Femur, Hip,... | 17 | $27,297 | -36% | $7,347 |
| 244 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant without CC/MCC | 16 | $58,827 | -37% | $14,130 |
| 884 Organic Disturbances and Intellectual Disability | 16 | $32,899 | -47% | $14,038 |
| 981 Extensive O.R. Procedures Unrelated To Principal Diagnosis... | 16 | $200,999 | -7% | $40,986 |
| 391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 15 | $45,026 | -26% | $9,815 |
| 066 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction without... | 14 | $35,097 | -17% | $5,637 |
| 178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC | 14 | $38,298 | -15% | $8,200 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 75 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the Iowa average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center charged $59,899 on average, 20% more than the Iowa average of $49,919, and was paid $15,728 against a state average of $14,771. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center charged $41,400 on average, 19% more than the Iowa average of $34,817, and was paid $10,612 against a state average of $9,846. For Psychoses (DRG 885), Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center charged $41,960 on average, 59% more than the Iowa average of $26,385, and was paid $12,033 against a state average of $11,411. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center charged $36,808 on average, 9% more than the Iowa average of $33,652, and was paid $10,690 against a state average of $10,047. For Level 2 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5372), its average charge of $858 was 85% below the state average of $5,820. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $9,785 was 21% above the state average of $8,055. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $16,402 was 17% below the state average of $19,798. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $15,305 was 12% below the state average of $17,461.
Price-transparency record
CMS's enforcement list records these actions for a hospital named Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City, IA, under the federal hospital price-transparency rule (45 CFR part 180), which requires hospitals to post their standard charges online:
- Met Requirements — 2023-07-25 (CMS case 1689)
- Warning Notice — 2025-04-16 (CMS case 3826)
- Closure Notice — 2025-07-18 (CMS case 3826)
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.