Iowa City Va Medical Center vs Christus St Vincent Regional Medical Center
Side-by-side hospital cost and quality comparison from CMS Medicare data
Iowa City Va Medical Center is in Iowa; Christus St Vincent Regional Medical Center is in New Mexico. 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: $10,668 vs $11,550, only 8% apart. With cost close to tied, the quality measures do most of the work in the value-rubric comparison. Iowa City Va Medical Center 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
Iowa City Va Medical Center earns a higher Value Score of 88/100 (A) compared to Christus St Vincent Regional Medical Center at 84/100 (A). Average Medicare payment differs by $882 ($10,668 vs $11,550). Iowa City Va Medical Center holds a 5-star CMS rating.
| Metric | Iowa City Va Medical Center | Christus St Vincent Regional Medical Center |
|---|---|---|
| Value Score Composite of price, quality, and outcomes | 88/100 (A)* | 84/100 (A) |
| CMS Quality Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Avg Payment Average Medicare payment across all procedures | $10,668* | $11,550 |
| Outcome Score | 60/100* | 50/100 |
| Emergency Services | Yes | Yes |
| Hospital Type | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Acute Care Hospitals |
| Ownership | Veterans Health Administration | Voluntary non-profit - Private |
| Location | Iowa City, IA | Santa Fe, NM |
| Procedures Tracked | 10 | 10 |
Iowa City Va Medical Center earns a higher Value Score of 88/100 (A) compared to Christus St Vincent Regional Medical Center at 84/100 (A). Average Medicare payment differs by $882 ($10,668 vs $11,550). Iowa City Va Medical Center holds a 5-star CMS rating.
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Source: CMS Hospital Price Transparency, 2026.