Best Hospitals in Alabama 2026
Alabama has 102 hospitals with an average procedure payment of $13K. The top-rated hospital is Birmingham Va Medical Center in Birmingham with a 5-star CMS rating.
102 Alabama hospitals appear in the CMS Inpatient Payment dataset. Ranked by average payment per documented procedure: Dale Medical Center is the lowest at $8,572; Floyd Cherokee Medical Center the highest at $19,296. The gap between the extremes is large enough to matter for any patient with elective scheduling.
These rankings are pure-cost rankings. The quality dimension lives in the CMS Hospital Compare star rating shown alongside each entry; the combined-value grade on the right of the table aggregates both. For patients comparing hospital costs, the ranking is a useful first cut, but the procedure-specific page is the better tool: cost spreads vary by DRG code, and the all-procedure average can hide important per-procedure differences.
Across Alabama's 102 Medicare-participating hospitals, the average payment per procedure is $13K, below the national average of $16K. 7% ofAlabama's hospitals carry a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or higher, and 25% earn an A or B on our Value Score, which weighs price (40%), quality (40%), and patient outcomes (20%).
Procedure prices in Alabama range from Dale Medical Center at $9K per procedure to Floyd Cherokee Medical Center at $19K — a difference of $11K on the same kinds of inpatient stays. Where you go for the same procedure can swing the bill by more than the procedure itself.
All numbers come from the latest CMS Hospital Compare release, which uses Medicare claims data and only reflects payments for Medicare inpatient stays — not what private insurers or self-pay patients actually pay. Star ratings combine seven groups of measures including mortality, patient safety, readmissions, and patient experience. Lower-priced hospitals can still earn an A on the Value Score if their quality stays competitive.
Top 3 Hospitals in Alabama
Birmingham Va Medical Center
Birmingham, AL
Alabama's top-rated hospital with a 5-star CMS quality rating and an average payment of $14K per procedure. Outcome score: 70/100.
Va Central Alabama Healthcare System - Montgomery
Montgomery, AL
Second-best in Alabama. 5-star CMS rating with an outcome score of 50/100. Average procedure payment: $12K.
Southeast Health Medical Center
Dothan, AL
Third on quality + outcomes. 4-star CMS rating; Value Score 84/100. Lists 10 priced procedures.
Top 20 of 102 Hospitals in Alabama
| # | Hospital | City | Quality | Avg Payment | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham Va Medical Center | Birmingham | ★★★★★ | $14K | A |
| 2 | Va Central Alabama Healthcare System - Montgomery | Montgomery | ★★★★★ | $12K | A |
| 3 | Southeast Health Medical Center | Dothan | ★★★★☆ | $10K | A |
| 4 | Baldwin Health | Foley | ★★★★☆ | $16K | B |
| 5 | Baptist Medical Center East | Montgomery | ★★★★☆ | $9K | A |
| 6 | Lakeland Community Hospital | Haleyville | ★★★★☆ | $17K | B |
| 7 | Northwest Medical Center | Winfield | ★★★★☆ | $13K | B |
| 8 | St Vincent's Birmingham | Birmingham | ★★★☆☆ | $12K | B |
| 9 | Decatur Morgan Hospital - Decatur Campus | Decatur | ★★★☆☆ | $16K | C |
| 10 | Princeton Baptist Medical Center | Birmingham | ★★★☆☆ | $16K | C |
| 11 | Usa Health Hca Providence Hospital, Llc | Mobile | ★★★☆☆ | $12K | B |
| 12 | Thomas Hospital | Fairhope | ★★★☆☆ | $16K | C |
| 13 | Walker Baptist Medical Center | Jasper | ★★★☆☆ | $13K | B |
| 14 | Coosa Valley Medical Center | Sylacauga | ★★★☆☆ | $10K | B |
| 15 | Dekalb Regional Medical Center | Fort Payne | ★★★☆☆ | $16K | C |
| 16 | Medical Center Enterprise | Enterprise | ★★★☆☆ | $14K | C |
| 17 | Russell Medical Center | Alexander City | ★★★☆☆ | $14K | C |
| 18 | Prattville Baptist Hospital | Prattville | ★★★☆☆ | $13K | B |
| 19 | Highlands Medical Center | Scottsboro | ★★★☆☆ | $12K | B |
| 20 | Dale Medical Center | Ozark | ★★★☆☆ | $9K | B |
Hospital quality and cost data for Alabama is sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on CMS quality ratings and patient outcomes, Birmingham Va Medical Center in Birmingham is the top-rated hospital in Alabama with a 5-star CMS rating and an average procedure payment of $14K. Its Value Score is 85/100 (Grade A).
Alabama has 102 Medicare-participating hospitals. The average procedure payment across the state is $13K, and 25% of hospitals earn an A or B Value Score.
Alabama's average procedure payment of $13K is below the national average of $16K. Within the state, prices range from $9K at Dale Medical Center to $19K at Floyd Cherokee Medical Center — a gap of $11K per procedure.
Of 102 hospitals analyzed in Alabama, 7 (7%) earn a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or better. CMS star ratings combine measures of mortality, safety, readmission, patient experience, timeliness, and effectiveness of care.
Hospitals are ranked first by CMS star quality rating (1-5 stars), then by outcome score, which reflects mortality rates, patient safety, and readmissions. The Value Score combines price percentile (40%, lower price = higher score), quality rating (40%), and outcome score (20%).
Hospitals ranked by CMS star quality rating and outcome score. Value Score: price percentile (40% inverted), quality rating (40%), outcome score (20%).