Best Hospitals in Louisiana 2026
Louisiana has 161 hospitals with an average procedure payment of $14K. The top-rated hospital is Ochsner Medical Center Acute in New Orleans with a 4-star CMS rating.
Sorted by average Medicare payment, Louisiana's 161 hospitals span from $8,354 (Bayou Bend Health System) at the low end to $26,197 (Monroe Surgical Hospital) at the high end. Within-state cost spread on hospital procedures is consistently wide across the U.S.
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 Louisiana's 161 Medicare-participating hospitals, the average payment per procedure is $14K, below the national average of $16K. 7% ofLouisiana's hospitals carry a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or higher, and 22% earn an A or B on our Value Score, which weighs price (40%), quality (40%), and patient outcomes (20%).
Procedure prices in Louisiana range from Bayou Bend Health System at $8K per procedure to Monroe Surgical Hospital at $26K — a difference of $18K 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 Louisiana
Ochsner Medical Center Acute
New Orleans, LA
Louisiana's top-rated hospital with a 4-star CMS quality rating and an average payment of $15K per procedure. Outcome score: 69/100.
Lake Charles Memorial Hospital
Lake Charles, LA
Second-best in Louisiana. 4-star CMS rating with an outcome score of 68/100. Average procedure payment: $18K.
Christus Shreveport-Bossier Health System
Shreveport, LA
Third on quality + outcomes. 4-star CMS rating; Value Score 75/100. Lists 8 priced procedures.
Top 20 of 161 Hospitals in Louisiana
Hospital quality and cost data for Louisiana is sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on CMS quality ratings and patient outcomes, Ochsner Medical Center Acute in New Orleans is the top-rated hospital in Louisiana with a 4-star CMS rating and an average procedure payment of $15K. Its Value Score is 75/100 (Grade B).
Louisiana has 161 Medicare-participating hospitals. The average procedure payment across the state is $14K, and 22% of hospitals earn an A or B Value Score.
Louisiana's average procedure payment of $14K is below the national average of $16K. Within the state, prices range from $8K at Bayou Bend Health System to $26K at Monroe Surgical Hospital — a gap of $18K per procedure.
Of 161 hospitals analyzed in Louisiana, 11 (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%).