Pennsylvania / Milton S Hershey Medical Center

CMS certification 390256 · Hershey, PA · 1 entry in CMS's price-transparency list

Milton S Hershey Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments

Milton S Hershey Medical Center reported 3,875 Medicare inpatient stays across 140 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 4.42 times what it was paid — mid-range in Pennsylvania, number 56 of 117 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.27×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 263 stays at an average charge of $100,785, 12% above the national average. It also billed 4,981 outpatient services, charging 12.33 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 3,875
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 4.42×
3Rank in PA (highest ratio = 1) 56 of 117
4CMS price-transparency actions 1

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

Inpatient stays

For the 140 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Milton S Hershey Medical Center charged more than the national average in 78 (56%). 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	263	$100,785	+12%	$22,924
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	198	$59,804	+6%	$14,594
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	103	$61,665	+7%	$13,942
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	90	$71,330	+1%	$18,038
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	84	$60,804	+2%	$14,472
683 Renal Failure with CC	75	$41,019	+1%	$10,417
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	63	$103,363	-13%	$26,020
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	62	$109,826	+9%	$20,936
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	60	$106,446	+7%	$26,365
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	59	$214,102	-3%	$48,815
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	58	$246,177	+8%	$55,722
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	54	$45,283	+13%	$9,600
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	54	$40,643	+7%	$9,231
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	52	$52,189	+7%	$11,218
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	51	$71,050	-3%	$17,988
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	50	$36,162	-2%	$9,250
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	47	$188,825	-12%	$48,139
847 Chemotherapy without Acute Leukemia As Secondary Diagnosis...	46	$61,376	-9%	$13,897
682 Renal Failure with MCC	44	$68,312	+4%	$16,565
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	44	$62,404	+22%	$14,417
025 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC	41	$140,235	-39%	$45,122
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	41	$51,203	-8%	$13,111
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	41	$51,512	+43%	$11,308
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	38	$123,990	+31%	$25,407
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	38	$101,566	+19%	$20,982
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	38	$69,888	+16%	$14,280
603 Cellulitis without MCC	37	$42,971	+15%	$10,219
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	34	$65,277	+7%	$14,523
460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC	34	$211,499	+24%	$36,142
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	33	$41,318	-13%	$11,280
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	31	$108,902	+44%	$19,330
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	31	$60,628	+7%	$13,682
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	30	$37,877	-1%	$9,788
312 Syncope and Collapse	30	$48,168	+6%	$10,527
027 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures without...	29	$102,951	-26%	$25,027
219 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures...	29	$397,158	0%	$98,008
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	28	$146,267	-7%	$32,116
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	28	$64,465	+31%	$11,743
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	27	$145,611	+30%	$27,184
315 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with CC	27	$59,116	+23%	$11,288
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	27	$37,756	-3%	$9,265
071 Other Cerebrovascular Disorders with CC	26	$50,899	+1%	$12,559
480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC	26	$132,840	-4%	$29,514
638 Diabetes with CC	26	$43,151	+4%	$13,135
054 Nervous System Neoplasms with MCC	25	$84,803	+9%	$21,584
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	25	$81,888	-20%	$20,883
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	25	$69,972	+58%	$11,843
023 Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex Cns...	24	$212,269	-24%	$57,668
253 Other Vascular Procedures with CC	24	$162,266	+23%	$28,699
393 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC	24	$63,578	-17%	$17,808
919 Complications of Treatment with MCC	23	$138,834	+57%	$26,187
070 Other Cerebrovascular Disorders with MCC	22	$73,910	-3%	$18,371
083 Traumatic Stupor and Coma >1 Hour with CC	22	$64,726	-12%	$15,603
331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC	22	$55,615	-35%	$19,978
467 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement with CC	22	$148,509	-6%	$35,145
026 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with CC	21	$126,032	-24%	$29,810
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	21	$225,107	+38%	$34,455
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	21	$123,534	+33%	$18,718
834 Acute Leukemia with MCC	21	$275,404	-4%	$70,683
981 Extensive O.R. Procedures Unrelated To Principal Diagnosis...	21	$281,550	+30%	$77,247

Showing the 60 most frequent of 140 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 2 Urology and Related Services	520	$4,770	$582
Comprehensive Observation Services	446	$17,421	$2,554
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	403	$14,821	$1,418
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	394	$16,523	$1,763
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	216	$31,495	$2,516
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	201	$17,132	$1,871
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	192	$125,332	$12,203
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	167	$33,316	$3,281
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	157	$26,461	$2,920
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	129	$51,601	$5,364
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	128	$80,268	$6,692
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	112	$48,988	$4,767
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	107	$23,988	$2,990
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	100	$115,328	$9,442
Level 5 ENT Procedures	98	$57,486	$5,411
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	97	$209,205	$22,297
Level 3 Lower GI Procedures	90	$26,101	$2,596
Level 1 Abdominal/Peritoneal/Biliary and Related Procedures	87	$29,121	$3,227
Level 3 Airway Endoscopy	73	$15,435	$1,563
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	72	$195,927	$17,062
Level 4 Vascular Procedures	71	$58,952	$4,896
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	70	$17,738	$1,804
Level 5 Neurostimulator and Related Procedures	68	$305,133	$28,333
Complex GI Procedures	67	$59,243	$5,364
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	66	$38,168	$3,371

Against the Pennsylvania average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Milton S Hershey Medical Center charged $100,785 on average, 14% more than the Pennsylvania average of $88,167, and was paid $22,924 against a state average of $16,881. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Milton S Hershey Medical Center charged $59,804 on average, 4% more than the Pennsylvania average of $57,362, and was paid $14,594 against a state average of $11,112. For Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure (DRG 189), Milton S Hershey Medical Center charged $61,665 on average, 6% less than the Pennsylvania average of $65,329, and was paid $13,942 against a state average of $11,268. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Milton S Hershey Medical Center charged $71,330 on average, 1% less than the Pennsylvania average of $72,025, and was paid $18,038 against a state average of $14,034. For Level 2 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5372), its average charge of $4,770 was 9% above the state average of $4,364. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $17,421 was 20% below the state average of $21,732. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $14,821 was 9% above the state average of $13,651. For Level 2 Upper GI Procedures (outpatient APC 5302), its average charge of $16,523 was 8% above the state average of $15,366.

Price-transparency record

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

Met Requirements — 2025-03-27 (CMS case 3447)

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.