Best Hospitals in District of Columbia 2026
District of Columbia has 10 hospitals with an average procedure payment of $21K. The top-rated hospital is Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington with a 3-star CMS rating.
Sorted by average Medicare payment, District of Columbia's 10 hospitals span from $14,141 (St Elizabeths Hospital) at the low end to $28,325 (Medstar Georgetown University Hospital) 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 District of Columbia's 10 Medicare-participating hospitals, the average payment per procedure is $21K, above the national average of $16K. 0% ofDistrict of Columbia's hospitals carry a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or higher, and 10% earn an A or B on our Value Score, which weighs price (40%), quality (40%), and patient outcomes (20%).
Procedure prices in District of Columbia range from St Elizabeths Hospital at $14K per procedure to Medstar Georgetown University Hospital at $28K — a difference of $14K 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 District of Columbia
Medstar Washington Hospital Center
Washington, DC
District of Columbia's top-rated hospital with a 3-star CMS quality rating and an average payment of $18K per procedure. Outcome score: 100/100.
Washington Dc Va Medical Center
Washington, DC
Second-best in District of Columbia. 3-star CMS rating with an outcome score of 67/100. Average procedure payment: $19K.
Sibley Memorial Hospital
Washington, DC
Third on quality + outcomes. 3-star CMS rating; Value Score 49/100. Lists 14 priced procedures.
Top 10 Hospitals in District of Columbia
| # | Hospital | City | Quality | Avg Payment | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medstar Washington Hospital Center | Washington | ★★★☆☆ | $18K | B |
| 2 | Washington Dc Va Medical Center | Washington | ★★★☆☆ | $19K | C |
| 3 | Sibley Memorial Hospital | Washington | ★★★☆☆ | $24K | D |
| 4 | Medstar Georgetown University Hospital | Washington | ★★★☆☆ | $28K | D |
| 5 | United Medical Center | Washington | ★★☆☆☆ | $22K | D |
| 6 | George Washington Univ Hospital | Washington | ★☆☆☆☆ | $26K | F |
| 7 | Howard University Hospital Corp | Washington | ★☆☆☆☆ | $19K | D |
| 8 | Psychiatric Institute Of Washington | Washington | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $19K | C |
| 9 | Children's National Hospital | Washington | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $18K | C |
| 10 | St Elizabeths Hospital | Washington | ☆☆☆☆☆ | $14K | C |
Hospital quality and cost data for District of Columbia is sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on CMS quality ratings and patient outcomes, Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington is the top-rated hospital in District of Columbia with a 3-star CMS rating and an average procedure payment of $18K. Its Value Score is 66/100 (Grade B).
District of Columbia has 10 Medicare-participating hospitals. The average procedure payment across the state is $21K, and 10% of hospitals earn an A or B Value Score.
District of Columbia's average procedure payment of $21K is above the national average of $16K. Within the state, prices range from $14K at St Elizabeths Hospital to $28K at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital — a gap of $14K per procedure.
Of 10 hospitals analyzed in District of Columbia, 0 (0%) 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%).