St Lukes Hospital: charges and Medicare payments

St Lukes Hospital reported 2,293 Medicare inpatient stays across 72 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 3.32 times what it was paid — mid-range in Iowa, number 14 of 27 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.32×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 280 stays at an average charge of $37,910, 58% below the national average. It also billed 3,105 outpatient services, charging 6.04 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 2,293
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 3.32×
3Rank in IA (highest ratio = 1) 14 of 27
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

Average charge per stay at St Lukes Hospital, its 10 most frequent DRGs, bars to scale. Source: CMS DY2024.

Inpatient stays

For the 72 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, St Lukes Hospital 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	280	$37,910	-58%	$13,324
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	235	$25,510	-55%	$8,862
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	75	$30,855	-46%	$8,607
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	74	$23,558	-61%	$9,277
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	71	$34,465	-51%	$11,204
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	58	$113,631	-28%	$21,809
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	53	$75,308	-67%	$32,748
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	50	$38,800	-49%	$10,987
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	48	$18,208	-62%	$6,769
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	43	$30,355	-59%	$11,015
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	43	$19,324	-61%	$7,704
885 Psychoses	38	$22,484	-49%	$10,340
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	37	$23,647	-58%	$6,919
682 Renal Failure with MCC	36	$25,229	-62%	$9,921
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	35	$15,839	-61%	$5,555
322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	34	$66,231	-42%	$13,418
312 Syncope and Collapse	33	$19,593	-57%	$6,121
683 Renal Failure with CC	33	$13,218	-68%	$6,244
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	31	$15,801	-56%	$5,397
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	31	$15,508	-59%	$5,593
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	30	$31,296	-48%	$9,595
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	29	$19,818	-61%	$8,281
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	28	$16,051	-57%	$5,633
266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	27	$194,371	-32%	$42,074
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	27	$185,234	-16%	$33,566
603 Cellulitis without MCC	27	$18,204	-51%	$6,300
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	26	$55,093	-51%	$14,636
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	26	$55,813	-45%	$13,596
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	26	$19,637	-60%	$6,781
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	25	$20,423	-54%	$6,342
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	23	$37,286	-56%	$12,531
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	23	$17,188	-56%	$5,651
948 Signs and Symptoms without MCC	23	$16,989	-55%	$5,560
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	22	$43,550	-56%	$13,744
175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale	22	$22,861	-65%	$9,758
236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC	22	$98,554	-53%	$27,213
321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal...	22	$74,682	-54%	$19,631
036 Carotid Artery Stent Procedures without CC/MCC	21	$56,968	-36%	$13,626
243 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with CC	21	$76,775	-31%	$16,137
522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture...	20	$48,746	-52%	$14,634
637 Diabetes with MCC	20	$43,657	-34%	$12,379
194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC	19	$15,213	-60%	$5,713
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	19	$51,961	-44%	$12,910
178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC	17	$15,415	-66%	$6,605
242 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant with MCC	17	$73,377	-54%	$23,926
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	17	$60,425	-49%	$16,013
480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC	17	$58,454	-58%	$18,837
811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC	17	$20,743	-70%	$9,681
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	16	$35,257	-45%	$7,570
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	16	$33,569	-65%	$13,684
563 Fracture, Sprain, Strain and Dislocation except Femur, Hip,...	16	$16,818	-61%	$5,986
951 Other Factors Influencing Health Status	16	$11,263	-56%	$4,198
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	15	$24,973	-51%	$6,408
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	15	$72,357	-66%	$28,700
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	15	$24,393	-49%	$7,101
854 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	15	$39,262	-60%	$13,705
069 Transient Ischemia without Thrombolytic	14	$26,654	-47%	$5,642
235 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization with MCC	14	$123,414	-58%	$38,376
149 Dysequilibrium	13	$18,023	-59%	$5,289
208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96...	13	$70,813	-48%	$18,459

Showing the 60 most frequent of 72 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	319	$45,361	$11,245
Comprehensive Observation Services	304	$12,790	$2,339
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	270	$125,735	$20,221
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	251	$19,881	$2,790
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	203	$7,073	$1,389
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	183	$9,461	$1,641
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	146	$22,522	$4,438
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	135	$11,932	$2,716
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	134	$26,449	$4,916
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	100	$49,816	$9,402
Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures	85	$83,427	$16,038
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	73	$16,254	$3,006
Level 2 Vascular Procedures	70	$7,303	$1,381
Level 5 Airway Endoscopy	61	$24,759	$5,902
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	59	$12,611	$1,643
Level 3 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	56	$44,214	$9,203
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	55	$28,671	$5,992
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	52	$28,754	$4,881
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	51	$12,252	$1,729
Level 4 Endovascular Procedures	49	$72,922	$14,938
Level 2 Breast/Lymphatic Surgery and Related Procedures	47	$27,007	$5,623
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	38	$17,895	$3,229
Level 2 Pacemaker and Similar Procedures	37	$27,705	$7,326
Level 2 ICD and Similar Procedures	29	$95,761	$28,287
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	29	$34,741	$8,873

Against the Iowa average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), St Lukes Hospital charged $37,910 on average, 24% less than the Iowa average of $49,919, and was paid $13,324 against a state average of $14,771. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), St Lukes Hospital charged $25,510 on average, 27% less than the Iowa average of $34,817, and was paid $8,862 against a state average of $9,846. For Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure (DRG 189), St Lukes Hospital charged $30,855 on average, 22% less than the Iowa average of $39,347, and was paid $8,607 against a state average of $10,151. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), St Lukes Hospital charged $23,558 on average, 30% less than the Iowa average of $33,652, and was paid $9,277 against a state average of $10,047. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $45,361 was 8% below the state average of $49,177. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $12,790 was 27% below the state average of $17,461. For Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures (outpatient APC 5213), its average charge of $125,735 was 20% above the state average of $105,141. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $19,881 was 0% below the state average of $19,798.

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.