Arizona / The Core Institute Specialty Hospital
CMS certification 030108 · Phoenix, AZ
The Core Institute Specialty Hospital: charges and Medicare payments
The Core Institute Specialty Hospital reported 158 Medicare inpatient stays across 6 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 5 times what it was paid — mid-range in Arizona, number 27 of 53 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 5×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 455, Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC: 41 stays at an average charge of $154,113, 24% below the national average. It also billed 1,496 outpatient services, charging 6.7 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 158
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 5×
- 3Rank in AZ (highest ratio = 1) 27 of 53
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 0
Inpatient stays
For the 6 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, The Core Institute Specialty 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 455 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC | 41 | $154,113 | -24% | $33,020 |
| 460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC | 35 | $107,481 | -37% | $24,543 |
| 473 Cervical Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC | 31 | $97,706 | -15% | $17,459 |
| 470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of... | 22 | $81,948 | -12% | $13,432 |
| 465 Wound Debridement and Skin Graft except Hand for... | 17 | $81,557 | -14% | $13,082 |
| 468 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement without CC/MCC | 12 | $99,905 | -19% | $18,974 |
Outpatient services
| Service (APC) | Services | Avg charge | Medicare allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 826 | $75,994 | $12,603 |
| Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 195 | $85,418 | $17,962 |
| Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 194 | $47,451 | $6,852 |
| Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 122 | $19,209 | $3,129 |
| Level 2 Musculoskeletal Procedures | 104 | $9,751 | $1,552 |
| Level 1 Nerve Procedures | 43 | $9,383 | $1,883 |
| Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage | 12 | $15,563 | $2,609 |
Against the Arizona average
For Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC (DRG 455), The Core Institute Specialty Hospital charged $154,113 on average, 37% less than the Arizona average of $245,505, and was paid $33,020 against a state average of $40,238. For Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC (DRG 460), The Core Institute Specialty Hospital charged $107,481 on average, 53% less than the Arizona average of $229,169, and was paid $24,543 against a state average of $32,241. For Cervical Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC (DRG 473), The Core Institute Specialty Hospital charged $97,706 on average, 30% less than the Arizona average of $140,292, and was paid $17,459 against a state average of $21,324. For Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of Lower Extremity without MCC (DRG 470), The Core Institute Specialty Hospital charged $81,948 on average, 27% less than the Arizona average of $111,535, and was paid $13,432 against a state average of $15,451. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $75,994 was 17% below the state average of $91,091. For Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5116), its average charge of $85,418 was 25% below the state average of $113,386. For Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5114), its average charge of $47,451 was 18% below the state average of $57,782. For Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5113), its average charge of $19,209 was 35% below the state average of $29,563.
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.