St Lucie Medical Center
ST Lucie Medical Center in Port Saint Lucie, FL charges 14.8x the Medicare reimbursement rate, with 64% of analyzed procedures showing significant price variations.
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34952 · Acute Care Hospitals · CMS Rating: 1/5
About the analyst
Michael Glenn reviews CMS datasets and drug pricing at BillRazor Research. He focuses on NADAC acquisition costs and procedure coding accuracy. Expertise: drug pricing, NADAC data, CPT coding.
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Billing patterns — for-profit
For-profit hospitals in our dataset demonstrate distinct billing patterns, with 628 facilities showing an average markup of 7.8 times Medicare rates. These hospitals typically maintain higher charge structures across most service categories compared to non-profit and government facilities. Common patterns include substantial charges above benchmark rates for emergency services, surgical procedures, and diagnostic imaging. Patients should be aware that initial bills from for-profit hospitals often reflect chargemaster rates rather than negotiated insurance amounts. The billing structure frequently includes separate charges for facility fees, physician services, and ancillary services that may appear as multiple line items. Before receiving care, patients can request cost estimates and inquire about financial assistance programs, which are federally required at all hospital types. Understanding that insurance negotiations typically result in significantly lower actual payments than initial charges can help patients navigate the billing process more effectively when receiving care at for-profit facilities.
Pricing grade
F
Very high
Avg markup vs Medicare
14.83x
Charge / Medicare rate
Max markup
29x
Worst procedure
Procedures analyzed
85
With pricing data
Outlier procedures
63.5%
Above 90th percentile
Pricing grades reflect how this hospital's chargemaster (list) rates compare to Medicare reimbursement benchmarks within the same state. Grades measure pricing patterns only — not quality of care, patient outcomes, or clinical performance. A lower grade does not mean a hospital provides inferior care. Based on publicly available federal data. Not endorsed by or affiliated with any government agency.
| Procedure | Code | Gross charge | Cash price | Medicare | Markup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY WITHOUT C.D.E. WITH CC | 418 | $281,687 | $140,843 | — | 29x |
| MAJOR SMALL AND LARGE BOWEL PROCEDURES WITH CC | 330 | $405,157 | $202,578 | — | 26.1x |
| PERCUTANEOUS CARDIOVASCULAR PROCEDURES WITH DRUG-ELUTING STENT WITHOUT MCC | 247 | $263,685 | $131,842 | — | 24.3x |
| LOWER EXTREMITY AND HUMERUS PROCEDURES EXCEPT HIP, FOOT AND FEMUR WITH CC | 493 | $258,497 | $129,249 | — | 23.9x |
| ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, DISCHARGED ALIVE WITHOUT CC/MCC | 282 | $95,285 | $47,643 | — | 23.5x |
| CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA AND CONDUCTION DISORDERS WITHOUT CC/MCC | 310 | $52,672 | $26,336 | — | 22.1x |
| GASTROINTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION WITH CC | 389 | $104,105 | $52,053 | — | 21.3x |
| PULMONARY EMBOLISM WITHOUT MCC | 176 | $106,489 | $53,245 | — | 21.1x |
| KIDNEY AND URETER PROCEDURES FOR NON-NEOPLASM WITH CC | 660 | $183,019 | $91,509 | — | 20.7x |
| CIRCULATORY DISORDERS EXCEPT AMI, WITH CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION WITHOUT MCC | 287 | $133,338 | $66,669 | — | 19.6x |
| MAJOR HIP AND KNEE JOINT REPLACEMENT OR REATTACHMENT OF LOWER EXTREMITY WITHOUT MCC | 470 | $226,570 | $113,285 | — | 19.4x |
| OTHER DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DIAGNOSES WITH MCC | 393 | $201,522 | $100,761 | — | 19.1x |
| MAJOR SMALL AND LARGE BOWEL PROCEDURES WITH MCC | 329 | $578,871 | $289,436 | — | 19x |
| PULMONARY EMBOLISM WITH MCC OR ACUTE COR PULMONALE | 175 | $169,267 | $84,633 | — | 18.6x |
| PERCUTANEOUS CARDIOVASCULAR PROCEDURES WITH DRUG-ELUTING STENT WITH MCC OR 4+ ARTERIES O | 246 | $372,712 | $186,356 | — | 18.3x |
| BONE DISEASES AND ARTHROPATHIES WITHOUT MCC | 554 | $85,515 | $42,758 | — | 17.7x |
| HEART FAILURE AND SHOCK WITH CC | 292 | $80,675 | $40,338 | — | 17.5x |
| RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS WITH VENTILATOR SUPPORT <=96 HOURS | 208 | $409,105 | $204,553 | — | 17.4x |
| HIP AND FEMUR PROCEDURES EXCEPT MAJOR JOINT WITH MCC | 480 | $299,013 | $149,507 | — | 17x |
| INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGE OR CEREBRAL INFARCTION WITH CC OR TPA IN 24 HOURS | 065 | $99,221 | $49,610 | — | 17x |
| ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, DISCHARGED ALIVE WITH CC | 281 | $93,890 | $46,945 | — | 17x |
| RED BLOOD CELL DISORDERS WITHOUT MCC | 812 | $94,089 | $47,045 | — | 16.9x |
| OTHER MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE O.R. PROCEDURES WITH CC | 516 | $201,462 | $100,731 | — | 16.8x |
| FRACTURES OF HIP AND PELVIS WITHOUT MCC | 536 | $71,475 | $35,737 | — | 16.7x |
| OTHER DIGESTIVE SYSTEM DIAGNOSES WITH CC | 394 | $98,487 | $49,244 | — | 16.6x |
| HIP AND FEMUR PROCEDURES EXCEPT MAJOR JOINT WITH CC | 481 | $202,351 | $101,176 | — | 16.5x |
| HIP REPLACEMENT WITH PRINCIPAL DIAGNOSIS OF HIP FRACTURE WITHOUT MCC | 522 | $228,679 | $114,340 | — | 16.3x |
| SEPTICEMIA OR SEVERE SEPSIS WITHOUT MV >96 HOURS WITHOUT MCC | 872 | $90,687 | $45,343 | — | 16.3x |
| GASTROINTESTINAL HEMORRHAGE WITH CC | 378 | $99,427 | $49,714 | — | 16.2x |
| ESOPHAGITIS, GASTROENTERITIS AND MISCELLANEOUS DIGESTIVE DISORDERS WITHOUT MCC | 392 | $71,200 | $35,600 | — | 15.7x |
| CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE WITH CC | 191 | $78,732 | $39,366 | — | 15.6x |
| TRANSIENT ISCHEMIA WITHOUT THROMBOLYTIC | 069 | $73,908 | $36,954 | — | 15.5x |
| REVISION OF HIP OR KNEE REPLACEMENT WITHOUT CC/MCC | 468 | $277,814 | $138,907 | — | 15.5x |
| MAJOR JOINT OR LIMB REATTACHMENT PROCEDURES OF UPPER EXTREMITIES | 483 | $230,207 | $115,104 | — | 15.1x |
| KIDNEY AND URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS WITHOUT MCC | 690 | $70,534 | $35,267 | — | 15.1x |
| INFECTIOUS AND PARASITIC DISEASES WITH O.R. PROCEDURES WITH MCC | 853 | $455,983 | $227,991 | — | 15x |
| MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS OF NUTRITION, METABOLISM, FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES WITHOUT MCC | 641 | $69,150 | $34,575 | — | 14.8x |
| REVISION OF HIP OR KNEE REPLACEMENT WITH CC | 467 | $307,755 | $153,877 | — | 14.8x |
| DISORDERS OF PANCREAS EXCEPT MALIGNANCY WITH CC | 439 | $78,475 | $39,237 | — | 14.5x |
| RENAL FAILURE WITH CC | 683 | $77,988 | $38,994 | — | 14.5x |
| DIABETES WITH CC | 638 | $71,697 | $35,849 | — | 14.1x |
| DYSEQUILIBRIUM | 149 | $62,655 | $31,327 | — | 14x |
| ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, DISCHARGED ALIVE WITH MCC | 280 | $143,705 | $71,853 | — | 13.9x |
| SIMPLE PNEUMONIA AND PLEURISY WITH CC | 194 | $71,670 | $35,835 | — | 13.8x |
| CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA AND CONDUCTION DISORDERS WITH CC | 309 | $57,359 | $28,679 | — | 13.8x |
| FRACTURE, SPRAIN, STRAIN AND DISLOCATION EXCEPT FEMUR, HIP, PELVIS AND THIGH WITHOUT MCC | 563 | $61,763 | $30,882 | — | 13.7x |
| CELLULITIS WITHOUT MCC | 603 | $68,775 | $34,388 | — | 13.5x |
| POSTOPERATIVE OR POST-TRAUMATIC INFECTIONS WITH O.R. PROCEDURES WITH CC | 857 | $180,320 | $90,160 | — | 13.4x |
| OTHER KIDNEY AND URINARY TRACT DIAGNOSES WITH MCC | 698 | $134,839 | $67,420 | — | 13.3x |
| SYNCOPE AND COLLAPSE | 312 | $68,573 | $34,286 | — | 13.3x |
Showing 50 of 85 procedures
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Pricing data from federal hospital transparency files and physician fee schedules. Last updated: . All data is publicly available under federal law.
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Data: Federal hospital pricing data, updated annually. All data publicly available under federal law.
Methodology: Hospital gross charges divided by Medicare payment for the same DRG. A ratio of 3.0x means the hospital's listed price is 3 times what Medicare pays. Chargemaster rates are list prices — they are not what most insured patients pay. Grades measure pricing patterns only — not quality of care or clinical performance.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical, financial, or legal advice. Actual costs depend on your insurance and provider. We recommend verifying costs directly with your provider. Full methodology · Terms of use