Northwest Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments

Northwest Medical Center reported 1,089 Medicare inpatient stays across 43 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 8.81 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Arkansas, number 2 of 32 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.99×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 133 stays at an average charge of $116,671, 29% above the national average. It also billed 1,643 outpatient services, charging 12.2 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 1,089
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 8.81×
3Rank in AR (highest ratio = 1) 2 of 32
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

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

Inpatient stays

For the 43 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Northwest Medical Center charged more than the national average in 42 (98%). 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	133	$116,671	+29%	$13,346
885 Psychoses	110	$64,727	+47%	$10,072
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	61	$70,096	+24%	$9,031
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	40	$80,309	+59%	$8,183
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	36	$106,488	+40%	$10,948
620 O.R. Procedures for Obesity with CC	35	$84,493	+6%	$11,673
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	34	$81,048	+36%	$9,524
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	31	$186,986	+19%	$22,437
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	30	$100,737	+75%	$8,763
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	28	$66,893	+30%	$8,295
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	27	$78,401	+60%	$7,587
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	26	$93,570	+33%	$11,632
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	26	$54,854	+45%	$5,708
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	24	$70,772	+46%	$7,132
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	24	$51,439	+28%	$5,998
603 Cellulitis without MCC	23	$69,975	+88%	$6,406
683 Renal Failure with CC	21	$54,815	+35%	$6,810
682 Renal Failure with MCC	20	$98,848	+50%	$10,487
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	20	$268,446	+17%	$31,448
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	19	$212,488	+85%	$16,480
621 O.R. Procedures for Obesity without CC/MCC	19	$84,981	+14%	$10,797
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	18	$111,720	0%	$15,357
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	18	$105,396	+5%	$14,718
312 Syncope and Collapse	17	$46,494	+2%	$6,547
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	17	$142,883	+67%	$13,640
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	17	$69,824	+16%	$9,482
460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC	16	$244,248	+43%	$24,140
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	15	$60,244	+19%	$7,413
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	15	$301,206	+84%	$20,847
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	15	$41,374	+12%	$5,967
208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96...	14	$185,537	+37%	$18,781
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	13	$60,177	+8%	$6,851
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	13	$86,740	+36%	$8,168
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	13	$74,346	+22%	$9,239
308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC	12	$83,818	+48%	$9,002
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	12	$57,052	+58%	$5,875
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	11	$53,592	+40%	$6,055
305 Hypertension without MCC	11	$53,214	+33%	$6,176
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	11	$65,286	+68%	$6,888
394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC	11	$48,695	+3%	$7,109
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	11	$54,197	+11%	$7,084
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	11	$112,833	+54%	$10,418
897 Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation...	11	$47,785	+29%	$6,499

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Comprehensive Observation Services	150	$32,894	$2,281
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	137	$64,742	$8,629
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	130	$33,133	$2,738
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	96	$40,421	$4,813
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	93	$44,163	$4,303
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	78	$12,563	$1,340
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	71	$32,912	$2,885
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	57	$60,804	$5,950
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	51	$32,807	$2,568
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	46	$142,533	$9,274
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	46	$25,760	$1,718
Level 2 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	44	$48,693	$5,301
Level 2 Intraocular Procedures	44	$25,856	$3,370
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	40	$37,808	$2,635
Level 3 Airway Endoscopy	38	$19,623	$1,312
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	38	$31,168	$3,093
Level 4 Neurostimulator and Related Procedures	36	$153,200	$17,943
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	35	$14,318	$1,605
Level 4 Gynecologic Procedures	33	$29,151	$2,637
Level 5 Airway Endoscopy	32	$39,227	$5,629
Level 5 Neurostimulator and Related Procedures	32	$199,556	$25,353
Level 5 ENT Procedures	30	$43,987	$4,940
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	29	$109,473	$11,089
Level 6 Urology and Related Services	29	$55,174	$7,771
Level 2 Neurostimulator and Related Procedures	23	$39,281	$5,067

Against the Arkansas average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Northwest Medical Center charged $116,671 on average, 107% more than the Arkansas average of $56,298, and was paid $13,346 against a state average of $14,253. For Psychoses (DRG 885), Northwest Medical Center charged $64,727 on average, 75% more than the Arkansas average of $36,969, and was paid $10,072 against a state average of $10,590. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Northwest Medical Center charged $70,096 on average, 89% more than the Arkansas average of $37,089, and was paid $9,031 against a state average of $9,423. For Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC (DRG 190), Northwest Medical Center charged $80,309 on average, 132% more than the Arkansas average of $34,589, and was paid $8,183 against a state average of $8,203. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $32,894 was 116% above the state average of $15,198. For Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services (outpatient APC 5362), its average charge of $64,742 was 39% above the state average of $46,625. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $33,133 was 126% above the state average of $14,661. For Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services (outpatient APC 5361), its average charge of $40,421 was 64% above the state average of $24,692.

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.