Avera St Lukes vs St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital
Side-by-side hospital cost and quality comparison from CMS Medicare data
Avera St Lukes is in South Dakota; St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital is in Indiana. Cross-state comparisons need to account for the Medicare wage-index adjustment, which can move payments by 30% between high-cost-of-living states and low-cost-of-living ones, before any hospital-specific factors enter. Average payments are close: $10,445 vs $11,078, only 6% apart. With cost close to tied, the quality measures do most of the work in the value-rubric comparison. Avera St Lukes comes out slightly ahead.
With costs this close, the choice between these two hospitals turns on the quality measure set, geographic convenience, or insurance-network status rather than payment-per-procedure differences.
Verdict
Avera St Lukes earns a higher Value Score of 86/100 (A) compared to St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital at 85/100 (A). Average Medicare payment differs by $633 ($10,445 vs $11,078). Avera St Lukes holds a 5-star CMS rating.
| Metric | Avera St Lukes | St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital |
|---|---|---|
| Value Score Composite of price, quality, and outcomes | 86/100 (A)* | 85/100 (A) |
| CMS Quality Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Avg Payment Average Medicare payment across all procedures | $10,445* | $11,078 |
| Outcome Score | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| Emergency Services | Yes | Yes |
| Hospital Type | Acute Care Hospitals | Acute Care Hospitals |
| Ownership | Voluntary non-profit - Church | Government - Local |
| Location | Aberdeen, SD | Lawrenceburg, IN |
| Procedures Tracked | 9 | 18 |
Avera St Lukes earns a higher Value Score of 86/100 (A) compared to St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital at 85/100 (A). Average Medicare payment differs by $633 ($10,445 vs $11,078). Avera St Lukes holds a 5-star CMS rating.
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Source: CMS Hospital Price Transparency, 2026.