Best Hospitals in Delaware 2026
Delaware has 13 hospitals with an average procedure payment of $17K. The top-rated hospital is Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. in Seaford with a 5-star CMS rating.
Sorted by average Medicare payment, Delaware's 13 hospitals span from $11,225 (Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc.) at the low end to $22,131 (Dover Behavioral Health System) at the high end. Within-state cost spread on hospital procedures is consistently wide across the U.S.
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 Delaware's 13 Medicare-participating hospitals, the average payment per procedure is $17K, above the national average of $16K. 23% ofDelaware's hospitals carry a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or higher, and 23% earn an A or B on our Value Score, which weighs price (40%), quality (40%), and patient outcomes (20%).
Procedure prices in Delaware range from Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. at $11K per procedure to Dover Behavioral Health System at $22K — 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 Delaware
Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc.
Seaford, DE
Delaware's top-rated hospital with a 5-star CMS quality rating and an average payment of $11K per procedure. Outcome score: 50/100.
Christiana Hospital
Newark, DE
Second-best in Delaware. 4-star CMS rating with an outcome score of 86/100. Average procedure payment: $13K.
Wilmington Va Medical Center
Wilmington, DE
Third on quality + outcomes. 4-star CMS rating; Value Score 74/100. Lists 9 priced procedures.
Top 13 Hospitals in Delaware
| # | Hospital | City | Quality | Avg Payment | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. | Seaford | ★★★★★ | $11K | A |
| 2 | Christiana Hospital | Newark | ★★★★☆ | $13K | A |
| 3 | Wilmington Va Medical Center | Wilmington | ★★★★☆ | $14K | B |
| 4 | Beebe Medical Center | Lewes | ★★★☆☆ | $18K | C |
| 5 | Bayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus | Milford | ★★★☆☆ | $17K | C |
| 6 | St Francis Hospital | Wilmington | ★★★☆☆ | $16K | C |
| 7 | Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent Campus | Dover | ★★☆☆☆ | $17K | C |
| 8 | Dover Behavioral Health System | Dover | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $22K | D |
| 9 | Meadowwood Behavioral Health System | New Castle | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $21K | D |
| 10 | Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware | Wilmington | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $20K | C |
| 11 | Sun Behavioral Delaware Llc | Georgetown | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $18K | C |
| 12 | Rockford Center | Newark | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $16K | C |
| 13 | Delaware Psychiatric Center | New Castle | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $14K | C |
Hospital quality and cost data for Delaware is sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on CMS quality ratings and patient outcomes, Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. in Seaford is the top-rated hospital in Delaware with a 5-star CMS rating and an average procedure payment of $11K. Its Value Score is 84/100 (Grade A).
Delaware has 13 Medicare-participating hospitals. The average procedure payment across the state is $17K, and 23% of hospitals earn an A or B Value Score.
Delaware's average procedure payment of $17K is above the national average of $16K. Within the state, prices range from $11K at Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. to $22K at Dover Behavioral Health System — a gap of $11K per procedure.
Of 13 hospitals analyzed in Delaware, 3 (23%) 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%).