University of Alabama Hospital: charges and Medicare payments

University of Alabama Hospital reported 7,197 Medicare inpatient stays across 222 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 4.53 times what it was paid — mid-range in Alabama, number 19 of 45 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 4.24×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 329 stays at an average charge of $94,600, 5% above the national average. It also billed 8,233 outpatient services, charging 9.6 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 7,197
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 4.53×
3Rank in AL (highest ratio = 1) 19 of 45
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

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

Inpatient stays

For the 222 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, University of Alabama Hospital charged more than the national average in 109 (49%). 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	329	$94,600	+5%	$22,459
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	167	$56,844	+1%	$17,215
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	162	$97,106	-38%	$26,604
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	132	$137,745	-38%	$36,540
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	119	$117,852	+18%	$22,870
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	104	$89,154	+18%	$20,144
220 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures...	99	$243,581	-12%	$55,392
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	96	$111,581	-1%	$27,917
025 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC	95	$218,684	-6%	$41,306
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	88	$88,602	+54%	$16,389
467 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement with CC	88	$121,066	-23%	$32,557
236 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization without MCC	86	$196,680	-7%	$40,389
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	81	$108,159	-9%	$26,127
683 Renal Failure with CC	80	$37,712	-7%	$11,810
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	79	$82,548	+17%	$20,527
235 Coronary Bypass without Cardiac Catheterization with MCC	79	$265,145	-9%	$56,306
219 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures...	78	$477,875	+20%	$95,770
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	76	$54,927	-8%	$15,259
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	76	$48,446	-1%	$13,384
652 Kidney Transplant	75	$305,629	-9%	$32,053
266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	73	$169,848	-40%	$48,385
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	73	$36,816	-8%	$12,456
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	73	$64,957	+8%	$16,319
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	72	$34,336	-9%	$10,964
027 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures without...	66	$102,425	-27%	$21,838
847 Chemotherapy without Acute Leukemia As Secondary Diagnosis...	66	$45,945	-32%	$13,441
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	65	$128,286	+27%	$26,186
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	65	$45,011	-5%	$12,989
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	61	$267,228	+17%	$60,603
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	59	$42,464	+15%	$13,074
065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or...	55	$66,269	+19%	$13,338
003 ECMO or Tracheostomy with MV >96 Hours or Principal...	53	$1,282,615	+22%	$243,294
331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC	52	$78,187	-9%	$17,231
023 Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex Cns...	51	$250,218	-11%	$61,239
101 Seizures without MCC	50	$42,020	-14%	$11,712
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	49	$72,299	+48%	$16,166
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	48	$93,445	+46%	$19,114
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	48	$49,882	+3%	$12,465
460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC	48	$165,761	-3%	$41,192
281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC	46	$50,083	-1%	$11,070
018 Chimeric Antigen Receptor (Car) T-Cell and Other...	45	$2,435,969	+11%	$465,198
196 Interstitial Lung Disease with MCC	45	$175,579	+104%	$32,923
100 Seizures with MCC	44	$172,578	+83%	$29,900
472 Cervical Spinal Fusion with CC	44	$142,999	0%	$39,925
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	43	$55,138	+9%	$13,438
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	43	$58,208	-21%	$18,787
070 Other Cerebrovascular Disorders with MCC	42	$98,808	+30%	$22,556
981 Extensive O.R. Procedures Unrelated To Principal Diagnosis...	42	$304,927	+41%	$71,629
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	41	$37,954	-14%	$11,499
309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC	39	$59,773	+66%	$13,726
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	39	$93,901	-1%	$26,555
270 Other Major Cardiovascular Procedures with MCC	38	$265,626	+3%	$54,083
178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC	37	$62,952	+39%	$16,698
016 Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant with CC/MCC	36	$184,482	-33%	$67,512
208 Respiratory System Diagnosis with Ventilator Support <=96...	36	$168,457	+24%	$26,667
269 Aortic and Heart Assist Procedures except Pulsation Balloon...	36	$197,596	+3%	$39,239
432 Cirrhosis and Alcoholic Hepatitis with MCC	36	$102,413	+7%	$24,160
682 Renal Failure with MCC	36	$71,422	+8%	$20,091
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	36	$48,727	-5%	$16,459
071 Other Cerebrovascular Disorders with CC	35	$45,648	-10%	$12,394

Showing the 60 most frequent of 222 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	991	$9,111	$1,324
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	696	$31,856	$2,671
Level 2 Urology and Related Services	669	$3,315	$570
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	452	$14,117	$1,527
Comprehensive Observation Services	442	$23,654	$2,262
Level 3 Airway Endoscopy	441	$8,501	$1,407
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	392	$12,684	$1,656
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	344	$17,649	$2,577
Level 3 Electrophysiologic Procedures	308	$169,637	$19,014
Level 5 ENT Procedures	225	$43,052	$4,760
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	204	$69,736	$9,024
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	203	$27,321	$3,069
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	199	$20,380	$2,344
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	185	$46,576	$4,796
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	167	$67,902	$10,975
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	162	$27,798	$2,845
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	154	$62,299	$8,438
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	149	$39,239	$4,124
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	141	$52,553	$5,837
Level 4 Vascular Procedures	135	$36,797	$3,589
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	108	$11,048	$1,612
Level 2 Vascular Procedures	107	$7,830	$1,272
Level 5 Airway Endoscopy	100	$46,577	$5,668
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	91	$35,094	$4,691
Level 3 Lower GI Procedures	84	$21,146	$2,248

Against the Alabama average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), University of Alabama Hospital charged $94,600 on average, 18% more than the Alabama average of $80,125, and was paid $22,459 against a state average of $14,647. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), University of Alabama Hospital charged $56,844 on average, 29% more than the Alabama average of $43,997, and was paid $17,215 against a state average of $10,010. For Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC (DRG 274), University of Alabama Hospital charged $97,106 on average, 31% less than the Alabama average of $140,297, and was paid $26,604 against a state average of $22,445. For Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement Procedures without MCC (DRG 267), University of Alabama Hospital charged $137,745 on average, 33% less than the Alabama average of $205,648, and was paid $36,540 against a state average of $33,978. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $9,111 was 19% below the state average of $11,270. For Level 1 Endovascular Procedures (outpatient APC 5191), its average charge of $31,856 was 5% above the state average of $30,210. For Level 2 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5372), its average charge of $3,315 was 2% above the state average of $3,245. For Level 2 Upper GI Procedures (outpatient APC 5302), its average charge of $14,117 was 15% below the state average of $16,696.

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.