Iowa City Va Medical Center vs St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital
Side-by-side hospital cost and quality comparison from CMS Medicare data
Iowa City Va Medical Center is in Iowa; 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: $10,668 vs $11,078, only 4% 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 St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital at 85/100 (A). Average Medicare payment differs by $410 ($10,668 vs $11,078). Iowa City Va Medical Center holds a 5-star CMS rating.
| Metric | Iowa City Va Medical Center | St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital |
|---|---|---|
| Value Score Composite of price, quality, and outcomes | 88/100 (A)* | 85/100 (A) |
| CMS Quality Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Avg Payment Average Medicare payment across all procedures | $10,668* | $11,078 |
| Outcome Score | 60/100* | 50/100 |
| Emergency Services | Yes | Yes |
| Hospital Type | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Acute Care Hospitals |
| Ownership | Veterans Health Administration | Government - Local |
| Location | Iowa City, IA | Lawrenceburg, IN |
| Procedures Tracked | 10 | 18 |
Iowa City Va Medical Center earns a higher Value Score of 88/100 (A) compared to St Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital at 85/100 (A). Average Medicare payment differs by $410 ($10,668 vs $11,078). Iowa City Va Medical Center holds a 5-star CMS rating.
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Source: CMS Hospital Price Transparency, 2026.