Best Hospitals in Maine 2026
Maine has 36 hospitals with an average procedure payment of $15K. The top-rated hospital is Mainehealth Maine Medical Center in Portland with a 4-star CMS rating.
Sorted by average Medicare payment, Maine's 36 hospitals span from $9,840 (Calais Community Hospital) at the low end to $21,837 (Mainehealth Waldo 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 Maine's 36 Medicare-participating hospitals, the average payment per procedure is $15K, below the national average of $16K. 25% ofMaine's hospitals carry a CMS quality rating of 4 stars or higher, and 31% earn an A or B on our Value Score, which weighs price (40%), quality (40%), and patient outcomes (20%).
Procedure prices in Maine range from Calais Community Hospital at $10K per procedure to Mainehealth Waldo Hospital at $22K — a difference of $12K 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 Maine
Mainehealth Maine Medical Center
Portland, ME
Maine's top-rated hospital with a 4-star CMS quality rating and an average payment of $18K per procedure. Outcome score: 74/100.
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center
Bangor, ME
Second-best in Maine. 4-star CMS rating with an outcome score of 68/100. Average procedure payment: $14K.
Maine General Medical Center
Augusta, ME
Third on quality + outcomes. 4-star CMS rating; Value Score 70/100. Lists 13 priced procedures.
Top 20 of 36 Hospitals in Maine
| # | Hospital | City | Quality | Avg Payment | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainehealth Maine Medical Center | Portland | ★★★★☆ | $18K | B |
| 2 | Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center | Bangor | ★★★★☆ | $14K | B |
| 3 | Maine General Medical Center | Augusta | ★★★★☆ | $17K | B |
| 4 | Central Maine Medical Center | Lewiston | ★★★★☆ | $19K | B |
| 5 | Togus Va Medical Center | Augusta | ★★★★☆ | $17K | B |
| 6 | Mainehealth Stephens Hospital | Norway | ★★★★☆ | $15K | B |
| 7 | Redington Fairview General Hospital | Skowhegan | ★★★★☆ | $15K | B |
| 8 | Lincolnhealth | Damariscotta | ★★★★☆ | $12K | B |
| 9 | Millinocket Regional Hospital | Millinocket | ★★★★☆ | $13K | B |
| 10 | Northern Light Mercy Hospital | Portland | ★★★☆☆ | $17K | C |
| 11 | St Mary's Regional Medical Center | Lewiston | ★★★☆☆ | $14K | B |
| 12 | York Hospital | York | ★★★☆☆ | $16K | C |
| 13 | St Joseph Hospital | Bangor | ★★★☆☆ | $16K | C |
| 14 | Mainehealth Waldo Hospital | Belfast | ★★☆☆☆ | $22K | D |
| 15 | Northern Light A R Gould Hospital | Presque Isle | ★★☆☆☆ | $11K | C |
| 16 | Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital | Ellsworth | ★★☆☆☆ | $12K | C |
| 17 | Northern Light Mayo Hospital | Dover Foxcroft | ★★☆☆☆ | $11K | C |
| 18 | Cary Medical Center | Caribou | ★★☆☆☆ | $15K | C |
| 19 | Mainehealth Mid Coast Hospital | Brunswick | ★★☆☆☆ | $22K | D |
| 20 | Houlton Regional Hospital | Houlton | ★★☆☆☆ | $16K | C |
Hospital quality and cost data for Maine is sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on CMS quality ratings and patient outcomes, Mainehealth Maine Medical Center in Portland is the top-rated hospital in Maine with a 4-star CMS rating and an average procedure payment of $18K. Its Value Score is 70/100 (Grade B).
Maine has 36 Medicare-participating hospitals. The average procedure payment across the state is $15K, and 31% of hospitals earn an A or B Value Score.
Maine's average procedure payment of $15K is below the national average of $16K. Within the state, prices range from $10K at Calais Community Hospital to $22K at Mainehealth Waldo Hospital — a gap of $12K per procedure.
Of 36 hospitals analyzed in Maine, 9 (25%) 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%).