Tennessee / Starr Regional Medical Center Athens
CMS certification 440068 · Athens, TN
Starr Regional Medical Center Athens: charges and Medicare payments
Starr Regional Medical Center Athens reported 193 Medicare inpatient stays across 10 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 6.25 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Tennessee, number 14 of 65 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.42×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 51 stays at an average charge of $88,007, 3% below the national average. It also billed 285 outpatient services, charging 18.52 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 193
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 6.25×
- 3Rank in TN (highest ratio = 1) 14 of 65
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 0
Inpatient stays
For the 10 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Starr Regional Medical Center Athens charged more than the national average in 7 (70%). 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 | 51 | $88,007 | -3% | $15,015 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 29 | $56,675 | -5% | $10,881 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 19 | $76,999 | +9% | $13,111 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 17 | $50,321 | +24% | $7,819 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 15 | $60,350 | +23% | $8,933 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 14 | $51,418 | -9% | $10,556 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 13 | $141,784 | +41% | $16,901 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 13 | $55,905 | +51% | $7,170 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 11 | $75,232 | +49% | $9,511 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 11 | $66,631 | +30% | $9,898 |
Outpatient services
| Service (APC) | Services | Avg charge | Medicare allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Observation Services | 61 | $53,558 | $2,262 |
| Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage | 59 | $11,937 | $1,322 |
| Level 4 Urology and Related Services | 28 | $29,848 | $2,881 |
| Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services | 24 | $51,755 | $4,685 |
| Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 22 | $101,726 | $5,912 |
| Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 21 | $168,506 | $10,424 |
| Level 2 Upper GI Procedures | 21 | $14,178 | $1,513 |
| Level 3 Urology and Related Services | 18 | $23,166 | $1,683 |
| Level 3 Vascular Procedures | 17 | $30,000 | $2,479 |
| Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 14 | $28,237 | $2,675 |
Against the Tennessee average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Starr Regional Medical Center Athens charged $88,007 on average, 25% more than the Tennessee average of $70,379, and was paid $15,015 against a state average of $15,065. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), Starr Regional Medical Center Athens charged $56,675 on average, 18% more than the Tennessee average of $48,160, and was paid $10,881 against a state average of $10,379. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Starr Regional Medical Center Athens charged $76,999 on average, 43% more than the Tennessee average of $53,972, and was paid $13,111 against a state average of $12,921. For Renal Failure with CC (DRG 683), Starr Regional Medical Center Athens charged $50,321 on average, 57% more than the Tennessee average of $32,131, and was paid $7,819 against a state average of $7,604. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $53,558 was 169% above the state average of $19,917. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $11,937 was 16% above the state average of $10,318. For Level 4 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5374), its average charge of $29,848 was 43% above the state average of $20,897. For Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services (outpatient APC 5361), its average charge of $51,755 was 61% above the state average of $32,171.
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.