Tennessee / Vanderbilt University Medical Center
CMS certification 440039 · Nashville, TN · 3 entries in CMS's price-transparency list
Vanderbilt University Medical Center: charges and Medicare payments
Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported 9,486 Medicare inpatient stays across 257 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 4.5 times what it was paid — mid-range in Tennessee, number 31 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: 423 stays at an average charge of $113,990, 26% above the national average. It also billed 13,930 outpatient services, charging 9.41 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 9,486
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 4.5×
- 3Rank in TN (highest ratio = 1) 31 of 65
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 3
Inpatient stays
For the 257 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Vanderbilt University Medical Center charged more than the national average in 180 (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 | 423 | $113,990 | +26% | $26,873 |
| 274 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC | 313 | $119,616 | -24% | $29,307 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 182 | $75,047 | +33% | $20,090 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 169 | $89,020 | +21% | $24,149 |
| 699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC | 159 | $50,774 | +7% | $13,944 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 117 | $101,519 | +2% | $23,686 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 114 | $112,739 | +49% | $25,720 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 111 | $301,655 | +32% | $65,294 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 110 | $92,368 | +31% | $24,387 |
| 025 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures with MCC | 108 | $223,925 | -3% | $48,368 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 103 | $72,779 | +21% | $18,776 |
| 267 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 99 | $153,489 | -31% | $43,429 |
| 286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 99 | $127,300 | +13% | $31,599 |
| 652 Kidney Transplant | 98 | $556,601 | +65% | $59,241 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 98 | $59,093 | +20% | $16,404 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 93 | $47,567 | +18% | $12,496 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 91 | $34,386 | -5% | $10,714 |
| 314 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with MCC | 85 | $97,002 | +2% | $28,614 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 85 | $42,174 | +4% | $13,949 |
| 266 Endovascular Cardiac Valve Replacement and Supplement... | 78 | $231,128 | -19% | $63,483 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 78 | $131,074 | +10% | $27,631 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 78 | $42,554 | +15% | $12,103 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 78 | $72,211 | +10% | $20,607 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 77 | $111,820 | +94% | $19,772 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 69 | $61,272 | +3% | $17,340 |
| 057 Degenerative Nervous System Disorders without MCC | 68 | $66,034 | +17% | $19,021 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 67 | $69,333 | +9% | $14,306 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 65 | $61,972 | +11% | $12,896 |
| 220 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures... | 65 | $263,367 | -5% | $53,944 |
| 321 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 65 | $177,506 | +8% | $33,913 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 65 | $115,053 | +35% | $26,482 |
| 470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of... | 64 | $95,194 | +2% | $19,231 |
| 329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC | 63 | $223,998 | +4% | $53,878 |
| 082 Traumatic Stupor and Coma >1 Hour with MCC | 61 | $126,438 | +10% | $27,291 |
| 394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC | 61 | $44,134 | -6% | $12,987 |
| 460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC | 60 | $196,525 | +15% | $37,713 |
| 552 Medical Back Problems without MCC | 59 | $62,973 | +29% | $14,052 |
| 811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC | 59 | $111,760 | +64% | $25,688 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 58 | $114,683 | 0% | $20,232 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 58 | $41,258 | +9% | $11,758 |
| 919 Complications of Treatment with MCC | 57 | $101,454 | +15% | $27,093 |
| 164 Major Chest Procedures with CC | 56 | $111,845 | -12% | $27,397 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 56 | $157,819 | +57% | $24,624 |
| 310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC | 55 | $31,064 | +8% | $8,972 |
| 391 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 55 | $70,049 | +15% | $18,177 |
| 441 Disorders of Liver except Malignancy, Cirrhosis or Alcoholic... | 55 | $107,456 | +25% | $25,685 |
| 812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC | 55 | $54,947 | +24% | $14,424 |
| 003 ECMO or Tracheostomy with MV >96 Hours or Principal... | 53 | $1,038,351 | -1% | $228,040 |
| 219 Cardiac Valve and Other Major Cardiothoracic Procedures... | 53 | $383,525 | -4% | $88,913 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 53 | $57,561 | +19% | $14,127 |
| 027 Craniotomy and Endovascular Intracranial Procedures without... | 51 | $117,289 | -16% | $25,384 |
| 101 Seizures without MCC | 51 | $74,762 | +53% | $16,063 |
| 253 Other Vascular Procedures with CC | 50 | $139,725 | +6% | $29,084 |
| 312 Syncope and Collapse | 50 | $55,146 | +21% | $12,805 |
| 315 Other Circulatory System Diagnoses with CC | 49 | $54,534 | +14% | $13,745 |
| 964 Other Multiple Significant Trauma with CC | 49 | $82,515 | +6% | $21,029 |
| 086 Traumatic Stupor and Coma <1 Hour with CC | 48 | $58,447 | -14% | $14,561 |
| 432 Cirrhosis and Alcoholic Hepatitis with MCC | 48 | $94,539 | -1% | $27,017 |
| 023 Craniotomy with Major Device Implant or Acute Complex Cns... | 46 | $296,286 | +5% | $64,133 |
| 273 Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures with MCC | 46 | $237,059 | +11% | $47,308 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 257 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the Tennessee average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Vanderbilt University Medical Center charged $113,990 on average, 62% more than the Tennessee average of $70,379, and was paid $26,873 against a state average of $15,065. For Percutaneous and Other Intracardiac Procedures without MCC (DRG 274), Vanderbilt University Medical Center charged $119,616 on average, 24% less than the Tennessee average of $156,643, and was paid $29,307 against a state average of $24,179. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Vanderbilt University Medical Center charged $75,047 on average, 63% more than the Tennessee average of $46,128, and was paid $20,090 against a state average of $10,346. For Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC (DRG 698), Vanderbilt University Medical Center charged $89,020 on average, 43% more than the Tennessee average of $62,272, and was paid $24,149 against a state average of $13,560. For Level 2 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5372), its average charge of $8,675 was 2% above the state average of $8,522. For Level 3 Urology and Related Services (outpatient APC 5373), its average charge of $17,506 was 24% above the state average of $14,067. For Level 2 Excision/ Biopsy/ Incision and Drainage (outpatient APC 5072), its average charge of $12,474 was 21% above the state average of $10,318. For Level 2 Upper GI Procedures (outpatient APC 5302), its average charge of $12,917 was 14% above the state average of $11,319.
Price-transparency record
CMS's enforcement list records these actions for a hospital named Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN, under the federal hospital price-transparency rule (45 CFR part 180), which requires hospitals to post their standard charges online:
- Warning Notice — 2021-08-25 (CMS case 470)
- Closure Notice — 2022-05-19 (CMS case 470)
- Met Requirements — 2025-03-24 (CMS case 3346)
A warning notice or corrective-action request is not a finding of wrongdoing; "Met Requirements" and closure notices record that CMS's review ended. Matched to this hospital by exact name, city and state.
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.