Illinois / Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital
CMS certification 140130 · Lake Forest, IL
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital: charges and Medicare payments
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital reported 2,858 Medicare inpatient stays across 98 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 5.4 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Illinois, number 14 of 106 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.06×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 335 stays at an average charge of $96,389, 7% above the national average. It also billed 4,785 outpatient services, charging 11.58 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 2,858
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 5.4×
- 3Rank in IL (highest ratio = 1) 14 of 106
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 0
Inpatient stays
For the 98 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital charged more than the national average in 55 (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 | 335 | $96,389 | +7% | $18,443 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 140 | $57,700 | +2% | $12,036 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 124 | $83,691 | +19% | $14,554 |
| 286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 91 | $123,223 | +10% | $19,402 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 65 | $33,881 | -16% | $7,699 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 59 | $52,081 | +6% | $9,059 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 58 | $56,279 | -23% | $15,071 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 56 | $71,080 | +11% | $10,058 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 55 | $53,075 | -12% | $11,752 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 53 | $36,717 | +2% | $7,253 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 52 | $43,860 | -15% | $10,064 |
| 178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC | 51 | $48,734 | +8% | $8,594 |
| 603 Cellulitis without MCC | 51 | $41,396 | +11% | $7,863 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 50 | $35,296 | -7% | $7,385 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 48 | $39,434 | +6% | $9,332 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 44 | $83,428 | -16% | $16,055 |
| 543 Pathological Fractures and Musculoskeletal and Connective... | 41 | $53,056 | +8% | $9,433 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 40 | $52,208 | +8% | $8,902 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 39 | $218,792 | -4% | $42,745 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 37 | $42,579 | +5% | $7,808 |
| 699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC | 37 | $42,942 | -10% | $8,953 |
| 308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC | 34 | $53,437 | -6% | $11,710 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 34 | $55,401 | -16% | $12,132 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 33 | $57,756 | +4% | $9,604 |
| 391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 33 | $50,816 | -17% | $11,322 |
| 470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of... | 32 | $136,692 | +47% | $15,525 |
| 393 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC | 31 | $77,266 | +1% | $18,079 |
| 314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC | 28 | $90,960 | -4% | $18,494 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 27 | $136,573 | +15% | $22,945 |
| 638 Diabetes with CC | 25 | $47,476 | +14% | $8,186 |
| 057 Degenerative Nervous System Disorders without MCC | 24 | $54,965 | -3% | $13,143 |
| 202 Bronchitis and Asthma with CC/MCC | 24 | $52,703 | +14% | $8,574 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 24 | $65,562 | -23% | $15,225 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 23 | $125,362 | +9% | $18,733 |
| 394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC | 23 | $45,622 | -3% | $8,434 |
| 056 Degenerative Nervous System Disorders with MCC | 22 | $98,383 | +2% | $19,622 |
| 310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC | 22 | $33,320 | +16% | $5,291 |
| 644 Endocrine Disorders with CC | 21 | $37,669 | -22% | $9,188 |
| 812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC | 21 | $41,102 | -7% | $8,123 |
| 300 Peripheral Vascular Disorders with CC | 20 | $51,604 | +4% | $9,045 |
| 389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC | 20 | $35,756 | -8% | $7,593 |
| 480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC | 20 | $218,248 | +57% | $28,332 |
| 552 Medical Back Problems without MCC | 20 | $46,715 | -4% | $8,711 |
| 025 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC | 19 | $227,613 | -2% | $36,018 |
| 164 Major Chest Procedures with CC | 19 | $187,811 | +47% | $30,518 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 19 | $58,471 | -2% | $14,884 |
| 179 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations without CC/MCC | 18 | $37,478 | +6% | $6,896 |
| 542 Pathological Fractures and Musculoskeletal and Connective... | 18 | $55,560 | -31% | $14,421 |
| 813 Coagulation Disorders | 18 | $73,821 | -8% | $13,332 |
| 884 Organic Disturbances and Intellectual Disability | 18 | $40,770 | -35% | $12,832 |
| 091 Other Disorders of Nervous System with MCC | 17 | $58,522 | -29% | $14,500 |
| 176 Pulmonary Embolism without MCC | 17 | $44,232 | +7% | $13,134 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 17 | $56,898 | +12% | $12,516 |
| 175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale | 16 | $71,161 | +9% | $12,608 |
| 243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC | 16 | $114,702 | +3% | $27,517 |
| 445 Disorders of The Biliary Tract with CC | 16 | $76,717 | +32% | $14,908 |
| 054 Nervous System Neoplasms with MCC | 15 | $61,838 | -20% | $12,413 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 15 | $79,652 | +38% | $10,922 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 15 | $41,321 | +8% | $7,305 |
| 292 Heart Failure and Shock with CC | 15 | $52,198 | +34% | $7,554 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 98 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the Illinois average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital charged $96,389 on average, 30% more than the Illinois average of $73,987, and was paid $18,443 against a state average of $17,651. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital charged $57,700 on average, 25% more than the Illinois average of $46,293, and was paid $12,036 against a state average of $11,813. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital charged $83,691 on average, 40% more than the Illinois average of $59,769, and was paid $14,554 against a state average of $14,404. For Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac Catheterization with MCC (DRG 286), Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital charged $123,223 on average, 24% more than the Illinois average of $99,203, and was paid $19,402 against a state average of $22,089. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $29,323 was 36% above the state average of $21,498. For Level 1 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5491), its average charge of $19,899 was 33% above the state average of $14,917. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $14,998 was 27% above the state average of $11,818. For Level 2 Upper GI Procedures (outpatient APC 5302), its average charge of $22,724 was 66% above the state average of $13,666.
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.