North Dakota / Sanford Medical Center Bismarck
CMS certification 350015 · Bismarck, ND · 5 entries in CMS's price-transparency list
Sanford Medical Center Bismarck: charges and Medicare payments
Sanford Medical Center Bismarck reported 2,536 Medicare inpatient stays across 88 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 3.18 times what it was paid — mid-range in North Dakota, number 3 of 6 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.17×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 152 stays at an average charge of $48,032, 47% below the national average. It also billed 5,209 outpatient services, charging 4.93 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 2,536
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 3.18×
- 3Rank in ND (highest ratio = 1) 3 of 6
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 5
Inpatient stays
For the 88 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Sanford Medical Center Bismarck charged more than the national average in 0 (0%). 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 | 152 | $48,032 | -47% | $15,753 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 129 | $27,592 | -51% | $10,253 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 125 | $37,631 | -50% | $12,771 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 119 | $39,986 | -43% | $13,352 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 80 | $32,323 | -46% | $10,609 |
| 274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC | 71 | $74,000 | -53% | $24,185 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 58 | $25,655 | -47% | $7,731 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 56 | $32,345 | -44% | $10,140 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 51 | $26,580 | -56% | $11,207 |
| 267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 50 | $147,784 | -33% | $35,962 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 48 | $37,763 | -49% | $12,981 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 46 | $20,073 | -51% | $7,236 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 43 | $22,797 | -43% | $6,417 |
| 885 Psychoses | 43 | $35,274 | -20% | $12,224 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 42 | $22,457 | -41% | $7,425 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 40 | $78,068 | -32% | $14,477 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 36 | $21,821 | -43% | $7,908 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 36 | $144,006 | -37% | $40,872 |
| 178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC | 34 | $37,077 | -18% | $10,820 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 34 | $40,318 | -53% | $14,094 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 34 | $55,603 | -45% | $16,602 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 34 | $35,673 | -46% | $12,134 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 34 | $26,084 | -49% | $8,623 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 32 | $36,515 | -43% | $8,495 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 30 | $24,938 | -51% | $8,998 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 29 | $38,637 | -61% | $16,494 |
| 281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC | 29 | $23,332 | -54% | $7,289 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 29 | $27,139 | -27% | $6,214 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 27 | $35,750 | -36% | $8,750 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 25 | $17,320 | -52% | $6,073 |
| 321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 25 | $102,535 | -37% | $21,543 |
| 329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC | 25 | $79,304 | -63% | $38,250 |
| 638 Diabetes with CC | 25 | $21,512 | -48% | $7,401 |
| 811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC | 24 | $35,396 | -48% | $11,390 |
| 314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC | 23 | $43,584 | -54% | $18,464 |
| 552 Medical Back Problems without MCC | 23 | $22,269 | -54% | $7,631 |
| 243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC | 22 | $64,369 | -42% | $17,224 |
| 312 Syncope and Collapse | 22 | $24,727 | -46% | $6,992 |
| 699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC | 22 | $21,973 | -54% | $8,271 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 22 | $31,219 | -36% | $8,626 |
| 603 Cellulitis without MCC | 21 | $23,952 | -36% | $7,894 |
| 480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC | 20 | $65,164 | -53% | $22,388 |
| 522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 20 | $53,649 | -48% | $16,031 |
| 286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 19 | $54,698 | -51% | $17,759 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 19 | $54,931 | -54% | $19,755 |
| 981 Extensive O.R. Procedures Unrelated To Principal Diagnosis... | 19 | $102,722 | -52% | $35,644 |
| 236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC | 18 | $103,635 | -51% | $33,854 |
| 252 Other Vascular Procedures with MCC | 18 | $78,805 | -54% | $27,495 |
| 039 Extracranial Procedures without CC/MCC | 17 | $25,911 | -59% | $9,414 |
| 175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale | 17 | $35,839 | -45% | $11,121 |
| 308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC | 17 | $33,799 | -40% | $9,590 |
| 391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 17 | $29,461 | -52% | $10,035 |
| 441 Disorders of Liver except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic... | 17 | $37,151 | -57% | $13,898 |
| 467 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement with CC | 17 | $89,286 | -43% | $26,348 |
| 266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 16 | $168,124 | -41% | $45,820 |
| 389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC | 16 | $17,776 | -54% | $6,203 |
| 897 Alcohol, Drug Abuse or Dependence without Rehabilitation... | 16 | $23,850 | -36% | $7,712 |
| 948 Signs and Symptoms without MCC | 16 | $24,466 | -36% | $6,479 |
| 025 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC | 15 | $83,025 | -64% | $33,616 |
| 176 Pulmonary Embolism without MCC | 15 | $24,896 | -40% | $7,299 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 88 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the North Dakota average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Sanford Medical Center Bismarck charged $48,032 on average, 4% less than the North Dakota average of $50,165, and was paid $15,753 against a state average of $16,037. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Sanford Medical Center Bismarck charged $27,592 on average, 11% less than the North Dakota average of $30,902, and was paid $10,253 against a state average of $10,520. For Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC (DRG 280), Sanford Medical Center Bismarck charged $37,631 on average, 5% less than the North Dakota average of $39,718, and was paid $12,771 against a state average of $13,470. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Sanford Medical Center Bismarck charged $39,986 on average, 6% less than the North Dakota average of $42,554, and was paid $13,352 against a state average of $13,746. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $14,643 was 6% above the state average of $13,866. For Level 2 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5372), its average charge of $1,301 was 12% below the state average of $1,482. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $6,315 was 0% below the state average of $6,326. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $22,061 was 7% above the state average of $20,673.
Price-transparency record
CMS's enforcement list records these actions for a hospital named Sanford Medical Center Bismarck in Bismarck, ND, under the federal hospital price-transparency rule (45 CFR part 180), which requires hospitals to post their standard charges online:
- Warning Notice — 2023-04-19 (CMS case 1090)
- CAP Request — 2023-08-16 (CMS case 1090)
- Closure Notice — 2023-10-09 (CMS case 1090)
- Warning Notice — 2025-04-17 (CMS case 3887)
- Closure Notice — 2025-07-21 (CMS case 3887)
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.