Spinal fusion, single level (inpatient stay)
Facility: The McDowell Hospital
Billing Code: 451 (MS-DRG)
This hospital's typical commercial price is $26,838 compared to the $28,021 fair price benchmark.
3-Star CMS clinical quality rating paired with 0.96× fair market pricing.
On the higher side — 6 of 8 other NC hospitals charge less.
Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 NC hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.
A fair price for a Spinal fusion, single level (inpatient stay) is about $28,021 (about 1.2× the $23,504 Medicare rate). The McDowell Hospital charges insurers about $26,838 — about the fair price. Located in Marion, NC.
What each insurance company pays
Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.
5 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital
Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.
| Insurance company | Price range | vs. Medicare |
|---|---|---|
| UnitedHealthcaremajor | $25,362 - $25,438 | 108% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor | $38,588 | 164% |
| Aetnamajor | $25,947 | 110% |
| Cignamajor | $26,456 | 113% |
| Humanamajor | $26,202 - $26,456 | 111% |
| Ambetter (Centene) | $119,818 | 510% |
| AmeriHealth | $29,000 - $55,023 | 123% |
| Devoted Health | $25,947 | 110% |
| WellCare | $26,202 - $39,746 | 111% |
| + 9 smaller / regional plans | $25,947 - $40,517 |
Self-Pay How to get the cash price
Insurance Before you use insurance
Estimate your out-of-pocket cost
A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.
Other Procedures at The McDowell Hospital
Compare: Spinal fusion, single level (inpatient stay) at other NC hospitals
- Frye Regional Medical Center · Hickory $20,986
- Scotland Memorial Hospital · Laurinburg $22,653
- Sentara Albemarle Medical Center · Elizabeth City $22,776
- Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital · Elkin $24,306
- Ecu Health North Hospital · Roanoke Rapids $24,941
- Vidant Roanoke Chowan Hospital · Ahoskie $25,525
- Columbus Regional Healthcare System · Whiteville $27,510
- Cape Fear Valley Hoke Hospital · Raeford $28,854
Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.
Audit a Bill or Quote at The McDowell Hospital (Zero PHI Required)
Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $23,381
At 274% FPL (201%–400% FPL tier), 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) caps FAP-eligible bills at Amounts Generally Billed (36.3% of gross = $23,381).
Compare Prompt-Pay Cash Rate Against Remaining Deductible
Ask The McDowell Hospital's billing desk for their written 45 CFR § 180 discounted self-pay cash price and Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act.
Negotiate Toward $28,021 Fair BaseRate ($23,504 Medicare)
Your bill ($64,411) is $36,390 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($28,021) and 2.7× the $23,504 Medicare rate.
Clinical Quality, Patient Experience & Infection Benchmarks
Source: CMS Hospital Care Compare. Clinical quality metrics summarize historical facility-wide cohorts and are not medical advice for individual care decisions.
How to Pay Less Nearby: Freestanding Centers, Insurer Leverage & Outpatient Savings
Verify the Raw Data: Official Hospital MRF, CMS Medicare.gov & Federal Filings
Safe-Harbor Data Corrections: Parsed directly from public 45 CFR § 180 hospital filings, CMS Care Compare, and CMS HCRIS cost reports. Hospital compliance officers may submit updated MRF URLs or rate tables for verification.