University of California Davis Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments

University of California Davis Medical Center reported 6,824 Medicare inpatient stays across 199 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 5.54 times what it was paid — mid-range in California, number 109 of 247 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 5.18×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 523 stays at an average charge of $186,009, 106% above the national average. It also billed 11,588 outpatient services, charging 9.28 times what Medicare paid.

1Medicare inpatient stays 6,824
2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 5.54×
3Rank in CA (highest ratio = 1) 109 of 247
4CMS price-transparency actions 0

Average charge per stay at University of California Davis Medical Center, its 10 most frequent DRGs, bars to scale. Source: CMS DY2024.

Inpatient stays

For the 199 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, University of California Davis Medical Center charged more than the national average in 196 (98%). 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	523	$186,009	+106%	$34,954
291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC	257	$128,967	+129%	$23,484
698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC	128	$150,936	+106%	$30,492
267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	124	$183,662	-17%	$64,560
177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC	108	$143,847	+104%	$30,244
872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC	100	$100,514	+105%	$16,966
280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC	98	$159,022	+110%	$27,780
470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of...	96	$188,254	+102%	$26,314
481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC	91	$282,322	+180%	$32,597
025 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC	88	$495,595	+114%	$79,720
392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	87	$87,853	+119%	$14,064
193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC	86	$120,264	+101%	$23,200
274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC	84	$113,835	-27%	$44,615
652 Kidney Transplant	80	$394,811	+17%	$57,740
189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure	79	$148,970	+159%	$27,263
266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement...	77	$329,558	+16%	$89,455
064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC	74	$212,176	+112%	$37,595
023 Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex Cns...	71	$374,726	+33%	$100,035
057 Degenerative Nervous System Disorders without MCC	70	$69,834	+23%	$21,232
853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with...	70	$595,100	+160%	$100,295
330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC	67	$282,436	+137%	$38,329
683 Renal Failure with CC	67	$89,538	+120%	$14,851
312 Syncope and Collapse	64	$117,998	+159%	$15,214
190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC	61	$125,299	+148%	$18,992
286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	61	$226,936	+102%	$38,245
690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC	61	$88,487	+134%	$13,601
552 Medical Back Problems without MCC	59	$127,331	+161%	$17,453
314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC	58	$159,530	+68%	$35,306
640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	57	$126,378	+110%	$22,529
847 Chemotherapy without Acute Leukemia As Secondary Diagnosis...	57	$122,467	+81%	$21,054
101 Seizures without MCC	56	$88,074	+81%	$15,981
460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC	56	$399,401	+134%	$53,948
689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC	53	$112,944	+120%	$19,869
699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC	53	$68,550	+44%	$18,223
378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC	52	$112,407	+132%	$16,219
377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC	48	$141,686	+66%	$27,748
493 Lower Extremity and Humerus Procedures except Hip, Foot and...	48	$308,616	+159%	$50,589
682 Renal Failure with MCC	48	$138,883	+111%	$25,149
391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive...	44	$116,343	+91%	$21,658
454 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion with CC	43	$517,781	+85%	$93,756
641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and...	43	$97,065	+162%	$14,679
846 Chemotherapy without Acute Leukemia As Secondary Diagnosis...	43	$217,789	+62%	$50,884
603 Cellulitis without MCC	42	$81,980	+120%	$14,720
472 Cervical Spinal Fusion with CC	41	$343,383	+140%	$45,282
329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC	40	$673,809	+213%	$112,642
467 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement with CC	40	$355,944	+126%	$50,364
812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC	38	$97,430	+120%	$15,411
164 Major Chest Procedures with CC	37	$285,390	+124%	$37,460
287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac...	37	$104,105	+63%	$17,868
480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC	37	$366,959	+164%	$58,066
003 ECMO or Tracheostomy with MV >96 Hours or Principal...	36	$2,183,854	+107%	$419,418
027 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures without...	36	$228,331	+63%	$33,997
840 Lymphoma and Non-Acute Leukemia with MCC	36	$400,920	+157%	$67,538
026 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with CC	35	$294,139	+78%	$42,233
253 Other Vascular Procedures with CC	34	$350,746	+166%	$45,700
389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC	34	$77,449	+99%	$13,768
834 Acute Leukemia with MCC	33	$609,068	+112%	$118,864
014 Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant	32	$1,268,636	+119%	$232,418
270 Other Major Cardiovascular Procedures with MCC	32	$489,099	+89%	$85,467
981 Extensive O.R. Procedures Unrelated To Principal Diagnosis...	32	$534,471	+147%	$101,477

Showing the 60 most frequent of 199 DRGs.

Outpatient services

Service (APC)	Services	Avg charge	Medicare allowed
Level 2 Urology and Related Services	933	$5,060	$844
Level 1 Intraocular Procedures	896	$27,697	$2,895
Comprehensive Observation Services	895	$50,849	$3,404
Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	677	$11,344	$1,998
Level 3 Urology and Related Services	667	$14,300	$2,362
Level 1 Nerve Procedures	495	$13,763	$2,384
Level 1 Endovascular Procedures	430	$33,481	$4,062
Level 3 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage	423	$25,424	$3,516
Level 3 Vascular Procedures	382	$27,200	$3,889
Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures	379	$122,550	$16,254
Level 2 Upper GI Procedures	342	$18,866	$2,361
Level 3 Airway Endoscopy	339	$11,609	$2,113
Level 5 Urology and Related Services	265	$62,073	$6,438
Level 5 ENT Procedures	249	$64,745	$7,285
Level 4 Urology and Related Services	249	$44,833	$4,345
Level 4 Musculoskeletal Procedures	232	$88,834	$8,914
Level 2 Intraocular Procedures	221	$50,546	$5,050
Level 3 Extraocular, Repair, and Plastic Eye Procedures	214	$22,882	$2,891
Level 4 Airway Endoscopy	201	$41,618	$4,645
Level 1 Laparoscopy and Related Services	195	$92,346	$7,163
Level 5 Airway Endoscopy	192	$72,290	$8,529
Level 3 Musculoskeletal Procedures	190	$49,390	$3,908
Level 2 Laparoscopy and Related Services	180	$151,998	$12,749
Level 2 Endovascular Procedures	166	$37,771	$7,125
Level 3 Endovascular Procedures	166	$98,285	$13,649

Against the California average

For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), University of California Davis Medical Center charged $186,009 on average, 30% more than the California average of $143,063, and was paid $34,954 against a state average of $23,020. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), University of California Davis Medical Center charged $128,967 on average, 28% more than the California average of $100,739, and was paid $23,484 against a state average of $15,556. For Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC (DRG 698), University of California Davis Medical Center charged $150,936 on average, 28% more than the California average of $117,988, and was paid $30,492 against a state average of $19,449. For Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement Procedures without MCC (DRG 267), University of California Davis Medical Center charged $183,662 on average, 39% less than the California average of $302,584, and was paid $64,560 against a state average of $56,011. For Level 2 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5372), its average charge of $5,060 was 4% above the state average of $4,853. For Level 1 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5491), its average charge of $27,697 was 32% above the state average of $20,986. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $50,849 was 22% above the state average of $41,628. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $11,344 was 23% below the state average of $14,749.

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.