Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. vs Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center
Side-by-side hospital cost and quality comparison from CMS Medicare data
Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. is in Delaware; Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center is in Iowa. 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: $11,225 vs $11,438, only 2% apart. With cost close to tied, the quality measures do most of the work in the value-rubric comparison. Mercyone Dubuque 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
Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center earns a higher Value Score of 87/100 (A) compared to Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. at 84/100 (A). Average Medicare payment differs by $213 ($11,225 vs $11,438). Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center holds a 5-star CMS rating.
| Metric | Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. | Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center |
|---|---|---|
| Value Score Composite of price, quality, and outcomes | 84/100 (A) | 87/100 (A)* |
| CMS Quality Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Avg Payment Average Medicare payment across all procedures | $11,225* | $11,438 |
| Outcome Score | 50/100 | 66/100* |
| Emergency Services | Yes | Yes |
| Hospital Type | Acute Care Hospitals | Acute Care Hospitals |
| Ownership | Voluntary non-profit - Private | Voluntary non-profit - Church |
| Location | Seaford, DE | Dubuque, IA |
| Procedures Tracked | 8 | 11 |
Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center earns a higher Value Score of 87/100 (A) compared to Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. at 84/100 (A). Average Medicare payment differs by $213 ($11,225 vs $11,438). Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center holds a 5-star CMS rating.
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Source: CMS Hospital Price Transparency, 2026.