Arizona / Northwest Medical Center
CMS certification 030085 · Tucson, AZ · 2 entries in CMS's price-transparency list
Northwest Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments
Northwest Medical Center reported 2,517 Medicare inpatient stays across 86 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 8.43 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Arizona, number 9 of 53 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 5×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 275 stays at an average charge of $103,657, 15% above the national average. It also billed 2,754 outpatient services, charging 12.96 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 2,517
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 8.43×
- 3Rank in AZ (highest ratio = 1) 9 of 53
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 2
Inpatient stays
For the 86 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Northwest Medical Center charged more than the national average in 81 (94%). 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 | 275 | $103,657 | +15% | $14,362 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 155 | $74,582 | +32% | $9,664 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 83 | $107,757 | +42% | $11,929 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 68 | $68,722 | +42% | $7,568 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 66 | $72,025 | +21% | $9,854 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 65 | $52,185 | +30% | $6,112 |
| 274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC | 51 | $203,346 | +30% | $24,213 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 50 | $79,233 | +12% | $12,377 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 48 | $187,142 | +63% | $15,118 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 47 | $61,310 | +25% | $7,675 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 46 | $183,539 | +54% | $18,109 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 43 | $266,469 | +16% | $33,166 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 42 | $103,927 | +22% | $13,047 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 39 | $50,438 | +33% | $6,168 |
| 267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 38 | $217,224 | -2% | $36,298 |
| 312 Syncope and Collapse | 38 | $54,401 | +19% | $6,835 |
| 281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC | 36 | $62,160 | +23% | $7,339 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 36 | $63,896 | +24% | $8,781 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 35 | $131,168 | +30% | $15,041 |
| 522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 35 | $128,425 | +26% | $15,886 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 34 | $82,829 | +26% | $10,975 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 33 | $56,335 | +38% | $6,604 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 32 | $44,582 | +23% | $6,151 |
| 391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 31 | $83,758 | +37% | $9,875 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 31 | $62,942 | +4% | $9,965 |
| 389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC | 28 | $45,314 | +16% | $6,146 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 28 | $42,947 | +16% | $5,845 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 27 | $78,608 | +55% | $8,126 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 26 | $104,502 | +5% | $13,999 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 26 | $77,117 | +38% | $7,482 |
| 418 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with CC | 26 | $122,665 | +32% | $12,476 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 26 | $102,544 | +40% | $11,900 |
| 163 Major Chest Procedures with MCC | 25 | $288,840 | +37% | $35,140 |
| 164 Major Chest Procedures with CC | 25 | $222,727 | +75% | $19,849 |
| 313 Chest Pain | 25 | $60,499 | +51% | $5,617 |
| 308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC | 24 | $103,638 | +83% | $10,434 |
| 394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC | 24 | $50,304 | +7% | $7,276 |
| 175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale | 22 | $74,752 | +15% | $10,386 |
| 244 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant without CC/MCC | 22 | $161,101 | +73% | $13,784 |
| 310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC | 22 | $35,805 | +25% | $4,415 |
| 286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 21 | $137,010 | +22% | $16,664 |
| 470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of... | 21 | $119,735 | +28% | $14,340 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 20 | $77,354 | +21% | $8,603 |
| 321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 20 | $261,489 | +60% | $21,519 |
| 329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC | 20 | $277,603 | +29% | $33,329 |
| 419 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. without CC/MCC | 20 | $130,711 | +68% | $10,805 |
| 069 Transient Ischemia without Thrombolytic | 19 | $70,671 | +40% | $6,127 |
| 331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC | 19 | $157,824 | +84% | $13,171 |
| 390 Gastrointestinal Obstruction without CC/MCC | 19 | $26,981 | -3% | $4,407 |
| 552 Medical Back Problems without MCC | 19 | $61,352 | +26% | $7,406 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 18 | $44,123 | +15% | $6,196 |
| 445 Disorders of The Biliary Tract with CC | 18 | $86,838 | +49% | $8,517 |
| 314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC | 17 | $115,732 | +22% | $15,302 |
| 480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC | 17 | $180,728 | +30% | $21,588 |
| 233 Coronary Bypass with Cardiac Catheterization or Open... | 16 | $491,233 | +28% | $61,531 |
| 236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC | 16 | $346,223 | +64% | $31,331 |
| 242 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with MCC | 16 | $236,438 | +47% | $26,379 |
| 658 Kidney and Ureter Procedures for Neoplasm without CC/MCC | 16 | $189,300 | +123% | $10,835 |
| 282 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive without CC/MCC | 15 | $60,687 | +40% | $5,646 |
| 417 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with MCC | 15 | $145,162 | +16% | $18,146 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 86 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the Arizona average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Northwest Medical Center charged $103,657 on average, 18% more than the Arizona average of $87,638, and was paid $14,362 against a state average of $17,455. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Northwest Medical Center charged $74,582 on average, 25% more than the Arizona average of $59,877, and was paid $9,664 against a state average of $11,479. For Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC (DRG 280), Northwest Medical Center charged $107,757 on average, 29% more than the Arizona average of $83,334, and was paid $11,929 against a state average of $13,989. For Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC (DRG 378), Northwest Medical Center charged $68,722 on average, 26% more than the Arizona average of $54,497, and was paid $7,568 against a state average of $8,932. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $37,221 was 54% above the state average of $24,129. For Level 4 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5374), its average charge of $47,700 was 63% above the state average of $29,259. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $100,548 was 10% above the state average of $91,091. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $41,883 was 23% above the state average of $34,042.
Price-transparency record
CMS's enforcement list records these actions for a hospital named Northwest Medical Center in Tucson, AZ, under the federal hospital price-transparency rule (45 CFR part 180), which requires hospitals to post their standard charges online:
- Met Requirements — 2023-01-24 (CMS case 1235)
- Met Requirements — 2025-07-17 (CMS case 5854)
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.