Iowa / University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down
CMS certification 160029 · Iowa City, IA
University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down: charges and Medicare payments
University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down reported 1,004 Medicare inpatient stays across 38 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 5.39 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in Iowa, number 1 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: 156 stays at an average charge of $65,768, 27% below the national average. It also billed 1,833 outpatient services, charging 6.57 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 1,004
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 5.39×
- 3Rank in IA (highest ratio = 1) 1 of 27
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 0
Inpatient stays
For the 38 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down charged more than the national average in 4 (11%). 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 | 156 | $65,768 | -27% | $13,619 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 97 | $50,305 | -11% | $8,643 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 56 | $54,708 | -8% | $9,066 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 52 | $63,703 | -10% | $11,264 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 47 | $58,558 | -23% | $10,886 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 43 | $38,383 | -22% | $6,972 |
| 468 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement without CC/MCC | 33 | $93,339 | -25% | $18,425 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 31 | $80,821 | -29% | $12,006 |
| 603 Cellulitis without MCC | 26 | $43,524 | +17% | $5,945 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 25 | $39,848 | -18% | $6,608 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 22 | $66,837 | -34% | $13,429 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 21 | $29,590 | -26% | $5,976 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 20 | $48,666 | -13% | $6,725 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 20 | $50,610 | 0% | $7,394 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 19 | $55,177 | -4% | $9,394 |
| 522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 19 | $72,783 | -29% | $13,545 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 18 | $30,807 | -17% | $5,237 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 18 | $134,343 | -41% | $32,675 |
| 282 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive without CC/MCC | 17 | $35,262 | -19% | $4,897 |
| 389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC | 17 | $37,007 | -5% | $5,842 |
| 390 Gastrointestinal Obstruction without CC/MCC | 17 | $29,885 | +7% | $3,823 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 17 | $64,660 | +26% | $8,095 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 17 | $29,281 | -23% | $5,476 |
| 281 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with CC | 16 | $37,307 | -26% | $6,046 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 15 | $31,470 | -18% | $5,563 |
| 455 Combined Anterior and Posterior Spinal Fusion without CC/MCC | 14 | $113,371 | -44% | $30,103 |
| 536 Fractures of Hip and Pelvis without MCC | 14 | $26,054 | -31% | $5,373 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 13 | $46,308 | -28% | $7,260 |
| 321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 13 | $94,890 | -42% | $18,808 |
| 467 Revision of Hip or Knee Replacement with CC | 13 | $103,413 | -34% | $23,513 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 13 | $66,820 | +1% | $10,425 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 13 | $48,676 | -34% | $10,651 |
| 812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC | 13 | $33,816 | -24% | $5,711 |
| 310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC | 12 | $23,053 | -20% | $3,937 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 12 | $62,633 | -27% | $12,353 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 12 | $58,540 | -3% | $9,716 |
| 811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC | 12 | $51,574 | -24% | $9,340 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 11 | $34,529 | -15% | $5,845 |
Outpatient services
Against the Iowa average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down charged $65,768 on average, 32% more than the Iowa average of $49,919, and was paid $13,619 against a state average of $14,771. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down charged $50,305 on average, 44% more than the Iowa average of $34,817, and was paid $8,643 against a state average of $9,846. For Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC (DRG 193), University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down charged $54,708 on average, 63% more than the Iowa average of $33,652, and was paid $9,066 against a state average of $10,047. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down charged $63,703 on average, 51% more than the Iowa average of $42,217, and was paid $11,264 against a state average of $12,510. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $52,045 was 6% above the state average of $49,177. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $27,932 was 60% above the state average of $17,461. For Level 6 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5116), its average charge of $83,248 was 3% above the state average of $80,446. For Level 2 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5372), its average charge of $2,084 was 64% below the state average of $5,820.
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.