North Carolina / Wakemed
CMS certification 340173 · Cary, NC
Wakemed: charges and Medicare payments
Wakemed reported 2,520 Medicare inpatient stays across 81 DRGs in 2024. Across them it charged 5.18 times what it was paid — among the higher ratios in North Carolina, number 6 of 73 hospitals with at least 100 stays (state median 3.55×, national 4.15×). Its most frequent stay was DRG 871, Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC: 217 stays at an average charge of $54,283, 40% below the national average. It also billed 2,323 outpatient services, charging 8.63 times what Medicare paid.
- 1Medicare inpatient stays 2,520
- 2Charge ÷ paid, inpatient 5.18×
- 3Rank in NC (highest ratio = 1) 6 of 73
- 4CMS price-transparency actions 0
Inpatient stays
For the 81 DRGs that can be compared with the national average, Wakemed charged more than the national average in 2 (2%). 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 | 217 | $54,283 | -40% | $13,438 |
| 291 Heart Failure and Shock with MCC | 149 | $38,935 | -31% | $8,551 |
| 690 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC | 105 | $29,421 | -22% | $5,575 |
| 177 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC | 88 | $45,573 | -35% | $11,118 |
| 872 Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours without MCC | 74 | $36,526 | -26% | $7,196 |
| 193 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with MCC | 69 | $47,516 | -20% | $8,983 |
| 378 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with CC | 69 | $46,719 | -4% | $6,944 |
| 689 Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections with MCC | 64 | $33,392 | -35% | $7,715 |
| 392 Esophagitis, Gastroenteritis and Miscellaneous Digestive... | 59 | $29,972 | -25% | $5,267 |
| 603 Cellulitis without MCC | 57 | $22,919 | -39% | $5,840 |
| 641 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 56 | $29,849 | -19% | $5,472 |
| 481 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with CC | 52 | $98,844 | -2% | $13,734 |
| 194 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy with CC | 49 | $33,089 | -14% | $5,552 |
| 698 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with MCC | 48 | $46,959 | -36% | $11,613 |
| 065 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with CC or... | 46 | $42,638 | -23% | $6,895 |
| 190 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with MCC | 44 | $43,251 | -15% | $7,382 |
| 683 Renal Failure with CC | 44 | $28,843 | -29% | $6,333 |
| 309 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with CC | 43 | $25,763 | -29% | $5,114 |
| 310 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders without CC/MCC | 42 | $18,988 | -34% | $3,845 |
| 812 Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC | 40 | $35,089 | -21% | $6,046 |
| 312 Syncope and Collapse | 38 | $40,646 | -11% | $5,920 |
| 308 Cardiac Arrhythmia and Conduction Disorders with MCC | 37 | $34,718 | -39% | $8,532 |
| 178 Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with CC | 35 | $42,118 | -7% | $6,850 |
| 522 Hip Replacement with Principal Diagnosis of Hip Fracture... | 35 | $84,126 | -18% | $13,877 |
| 640 Miscellaneous Disorders of Nutrition, Metabolism, Fluids and... | 31 | $33,727 | -44% | $8,838 |
| 066 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction without... | 29 | $34,741 | -18% | $4,732 |
| 195 Simple Pneumonia and Pleurisy without CC/MCC | 27 | $24,775 | -18% | $4,202 |
| 390 Gastrointestinal Obstruction without CC/MCC | 26 | $22,279 | -20% | $3,739 |
| 699 Other Kidney and Urinary Tract Diagnoses with CC | 26 | $30,076 | -37% | $6,839 |
| 853 Infectious and Parasitic Diseases with O.R. Procedures with... | 26 | $152,275 | -33% | $37,922 |
| 189 Pulmonary Edema and Respiratory Failure | 25 | $53,653 | -7% | $8,050 |
| 280 Acute Myocardial Infarction, Discharged Alive with MCC | 25 | $47,192 | -38% | $10,252 |
| 330 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with CC | 25 | $96,844 | -19% | $17,177 |
| 389 Gastrointestinal Obstruction with CC | 24 | $35,366 | -9% | $5,369 |
| 064 Intracranial Hemorrhage or Cerebral Infarction with MCC | 22 | $74,544 | -25% | $14,236 |
| 329 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures with MCC | 21 | $204,219 | -5% | $37,108 |
| 682 Renal Failure with MCC | 21 | $38,328 | -42% | $9,987 |
| 377 Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage with MCC | 20 | $65,455 | -23% | $11,978 |
| 394 Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC | 20 | $43,516 | -8% | $9,459 |
| 480 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint with MCC | 18 | $107,246 | -23% | $19,232 |
| 482 Hip and Femur Procedures except Major Joint without CC/MCC | 18 | $86,373 | +11% | $11,348 |
| 536 Fractures of Hip and Pelvis without MCC | 18 | $30,736 | -18% | $5,132 |
| 552 Medical Back Problems without MCC | 18 | $42,703 | -13% | $6,475 |
| 948 Signs and Symptoms without MCC | 18 | $35,316 | -7% | $5,642 |
| 175 Pulmonary Embolism with MCC or Acute Cor Pulmonale | 17 | $48,216 | -26% | $9,021 |
| 418 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy without C.D.E. with CC | 17 | $69,427 | -26% | $11,699 |
| 322 Percutaneous Cardiovascular Procedures with Intraluminal... | 16 | $91,744 | -20% | $12,131 |
| 331 Major Small and Large Bowel Procedures without CC/MCC | 16 | $82,233 | -4% | $11,986 |
| 493 Lower Extremity and Humerus Procedures except Hip, Foot and... | 16 | $93,894 | -21% | $15,816 |
| 638 Diabetes with CC | 16 | $31,997 | -23% | $5,923 |
| 811 Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC | 16 | $42,832 | -37% | $9,247 |
| 176 Pulmonary Embolism without MCC | 15 | $35,835 | -14% | $6,834 |
| 286 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 15 | $64,462 | -43% | $13,599 |
| 287 Circulatory Disorders except AMI, with Cardiac... | 15 | $39,701 | -38% | $7,794 |
| 305 Hypertension without MCC | 15 | $28,139 | -30% | $5,048 |
| 470 Major Hip and Knee Joint Replacement or Reattachment of... | 15 | $82,202 | -12% | $13,457 |
| 661 Kidney and Ureter Procedures for Non-Neoplasm without CC/MCC | 15 | $48,910 | -14% | $6,987 |
| 244 Permanent Cardiac Pacemaker Implant without CC/MCC | 14 | $76,140 | -18% | $13,081 |
| 460 Spinal Fusion except Cervical without MCC | 14 | $154,735 | -9% | $26,309 |
| 884 Organic Disturbances and Intellectual Disability | 14 | $37,009 | -41% | $11,216 |
Showing the 60 most frequent of 81 DRGs.
Outpatient services
Against the North Carolina average
For Septicemia or Severe Sepsis without MV >96 Hours with MCC (DRG 871), Wakemed charged $54,283 on average, 5% less than the North Carolina average of $56,936, and was paid $13,438 against a state average of $16,444. For Heart Failure and Shock with MCC (DRG 291), Wakemed charged $38,935 on average, 9% more than the North Carolina average of $35,799, and was paid $8,551 against a state average of $11,305. For Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections without MCC (DRG 690), Wakemed charged $29,421 on average, 10% more than the North Carolina average of $26,784, and was paid $5,575 against a state average of $7,680. For Respiratory Infections and Inflammations with MCC (DRG 177), Wakemed charged $45,573 on average, 4% less than the North Carolina average of $47,554, and was paid $11,118 against a state average of $14,260. For Comprehensive Observation Services (outpatient APC 8011), its average charge of $22,272 was 19% above the state average of $18,779. For Level 1 Intraocular Procedures (outpatient APC 5491), its average charge of $16,093 was 59% above the state average of $10,153. For Level 2 Upper GI Procedures (outpatient APC 5302), its average charge of $15,402 was 36% above the state average of $11,289. For Level 5 Musculoskeletal Procedures (outpatient APC 5115), its average charge of $65,685 was 7% above the state average of $61,166.
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.