MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown: charges and Medicare payments

MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown reported 2,086 Medicare inpatient stays across 69 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 5.18 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in South Carolina, number 14 of 45 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: 159 stays at an average charge of $65,509, 27% below the national average. It also billed 2,608 outpatient services, charging 8.74 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 2,086
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 5.18×
3Rank in SC (highest ratio = 1) 14 of 45
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

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

Inpatient stays

For the 69 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown charged more than the national average in 6 (9%). 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	159	$65,509	-27%	$13,566
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	130	$134,824	-14%	$22,442
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	116	$32,168	-43%	$8,440
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	101	$44,839	-41%	$10,274
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	60	$32,199	-34%	$6,543
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	57	$34,585	-42%	$8,701
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	55	$46,868	-19%	$8,784
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	49	$27,692	-57%	$7,720
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	49	$72,890	-36%	$13,984
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	46	$24,812	-51%	$6,432
273 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures with MCC	43	$146,344	-32%	$27,416
236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC	41	$155,403	-26%	$30,395
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	41	$21,231	-41%	$5,294
683 Renal Failure with CC	40	$25,009	-39%	$6,046
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	38	$46,811	-58%	$14,742
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	38	$20,795	-48%	$5,322
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	37	$43,003	-39%	$10,515
266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	36	$225,943	-21%	$42,556
682 Renal Failure with MCC	35	$54,537	-17%	$11,202
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	33	$125,599	+35%	$12,651
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	33	$176,920	-23%	$36,614
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	32	$208,641	-6%	$34,876
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	31	$30,170	-47%	$8,033
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	30	$38,346	-36%	$8,817
310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC	29	$18,564	-35%	$3,810
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	28	$33,057	-33%	$7,059
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	26	$25,564	-42%	$6,219
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	25	$30,114	-40%	$7,419
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	24	$29,011	-43%	$7,898
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	23	$91,440	-23%	$16,820
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	23	$29,469	-20%	$5,563
243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC	22	$108,416	-2%	$15,149
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	22	$113,020	-31%	$23,268
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	22	$24,700	-35%	$5,429
603 Cellulitis without MCC	21	$23,235	-38%	$6,303
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	20	$30,992	-44%	$6,531
175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale	20	$31,916	-51%	$9,786
331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC	20	$95,754	+12%	$11,211
282 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive without CC/MCC	19	$19,869	-54%	$6,736
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	19	$48,175	-44%	$11,721
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	19	$40,226	-34%	$8,397
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	18	$52,437	-47%	$12,968
460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC	18	$169,283	-1%	$24,863
234 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open...	17	$171,638	-36%	$34,227
313 Chest Pain	17	$20,857	-48%	$5,309
468 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement without CC/MCC	16	$159,298	+29%	$21,982
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	16	$104,236	+3%	$15,216
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	15	$80,103	-16%	$16,557
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	15	$19,338	-50%	$5,307
811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC	15	$47,659	-30%	$9,847
324 Coronary Intravascular Lithotripsy with Intraluminal Device...	14	$136,025	-22%	$20,204
069 Transient Ischemia without Thrombolytic	13	$21,224	-58%	$5,175
252 Other Vascular Procedures with MCC	13	$97,630	-43%	$27,246
323 Coronary Intravascular Lithotripsy with Intraluminal Device...	13	$169,140	-27%	$30,805
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	13	$172,452	-20%	$32,037
472 Cervical Spinal Fusion with CC	13	$130,627	-9%	$19,611
071 Other Cerebrovascular Disorders with CC	12	$31,034	-39%	$7,162
235 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization with MCC	12	$220,296	-25%	$40,708
244 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant without CC/MCC	12	$82,019	-12%	$13,541
312 Syncope and Collapse	12	$20,878	-54%	$6,372

Showing the 60 most frequent of 69 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	501	$13,132	$2,844
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	276	$113,295	$11,506
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	170	$56,836	$9,480
Level 2 Intraocular Procedures	168	$31,044	$3,521
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	150	$164,142	$20,689
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	119	$9,673	$1,422
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	99	$58,547	$6,259
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	96	$67,296	$9,407
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	87	$14,510	$2,818
Comprehensive Observation Services	86	$11,844	$2,389
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	77	$35,336	$2,848
Level 4 Endovascular Procedures	77	$74,382	$13,136
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	69	$120,103	$16,536
Level 4 Vascular Procedures	69	$32,698	$4,851
Level 2 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	55	$45,114	$7,335
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	55	$50,342	$5,056
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	48	$18,929	$2,474
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	41	$37,817	$5,082
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	41	$29,757	$3,100
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	39	$40,937	$4,601
Level 2 ICD and Similar Procedures	36	$136,169	$29,167
Level 3 Lower GI Procedures	28	$24,843	$2,355
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	27	$14,628	$1,692
Level 3 Airway Endoscopy	25	$19,168	$1,461
Level 2 Musculoskeletal Procedures	24	$16,269	$1,382

Against the South Carolina average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown charged $65,509 on average, 14% less than the South Carolina average of $76,532, and was paid $13,566 against a state average of $16,014. For Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC (DRG 274), MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown charged $134,824 on average, 28% less than the South Carolina average of $186,698, and was paid $22,442 against a state average of $25,978. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown charged $32,168 on average, 30% less than the South Carolina average of $45,682, and was paid $8,440 against a state average of $10,696. For Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC (DRG 280), MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown charged $44,839 on average, 36% less than the South Carolina average of $70,461, and was paid $10,274 against a state average of $12,591. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $13,132 was 59% below the state average of $31,661. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $113,295 was 41% above the state average of $80,461. For Level 3 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5193), its average charge of $56,836 was 33% below the state average of $84,801. For Level 2 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5492), its average charge of $31,044 was 4% above the state average of $29,753.

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.