Best Hospitals in Georgia 2026
Georgia has 148 hospitals with an average procedure payment of $15K. The top-rated hospital is Piedmont Columbus Regional Northside in Columbus with a 5-star CMS rating.
148 Georgia hospitals appear in the CMS Inpatient Payment dataset. Ranked by average payment per documented procedure: Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center is the lowest at $9,176; Ridgeview Institute Monroe the highest at $24,274. The gap between the extremes is large enough to matter for any patient with elective scheduling.
Ranking interpretation: the rankings sort on the Medicare payment-per-procedure average, weighted equally across DRG codes. That makes them most useful as a cost-comparison starting point — the LakeQuality value grade layered on top combines this cost data with CMS Hospital Compare quality measures, which is usually the more decision-useful number. 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 Georgia's 148 Medicare-participating hospitals, the average payment per procedure is $15K, below the national average of $16K. 12% ofGeorgia's hospitals carry a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or higher, and 16% earn an A or B on our Value Score, which weighs price (40%), quality (40%), and patient outcomes (20%).
Procedure prices in Georgia range from Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center at $9K per procedure to Ridgeview Institute Monroe at $24K — a difference of $15K 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 Georgia
Piedmont Columbus Regional Northside
Columbus, GA
Georgia's top-rated hospital with a 5-star CMS quality rating and an average payment of $17K per procedure. Outcome score: 66/100.
Northeast Georgia Medical Center Lumpkin
Dahlonega, GA
Second-best in Georgia. 5-star CMS rating with an outcome score of 50/100. Average procedure payment: $19K.
Memorial Health Meadows Hospital
Vidalia, GA
Third on quality + outcomes. 5-star CMS rating; Value Score 72/100. Lists 15 priced procedures.
Top 20 of 148 Hospitals in Georgia
Hospital quality and cost data for Georgia is sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on CMS quality ratings and patient outcomes, Piedmont Columbus Regional Northside in Columbus is the top-rated hospital in Georgia with a 5-star CMS rating and an average procedure payment of $17K. Its Value Score is 78/100 (Grade B).
Georgia has 148 Medicare-participating hospitals. The average procedure payment across the state is $15K, and 16% of hospitals earn an A or B Value Score.
Georgia's average procedure payment of $15K is below the national average of $16K. Within the state, prices range from $9K at Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center to $24K at Ridgeview Institute Monroe — a gap of $15K per procedure.
Of 148 hospitals analyzed in Georgia, 18 (12%) 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%).