What is the best hospital in Tucson?

Banner - University Medical Center Tucson earns a 3-star CMS rating with a 0.25 cost-to-charge ratio and 18 published procedures. It's affiliated with the University of Arizona College of Medicine. No Tucson hospital currently earns above 3 stars.

Why are Carondelet hospitals so expensive?

Carondelet Health Network is owned by Tenet Healthcare, a for-profit company. St. Joseph's Hospital shows a 0.07 cost-to-charge ratio (14x markup), St. Mary's at 0.08 (12x), and Oro Valley at 0.10 (10x). These are among the highest markups in any US city. Nonprofit alternatives like Banner (3.9x) and TMC (3.6x) offer dramatically better value.

Is Tucson Medical Center good?

Tucson Medical Center (TMC) is the city's oldest independent community hospital with a 2-star CMS rating and the best cost-to-charge ratio in Tucson at 0.28 (3.6x markup). While not the highest-rated, it offers good value and community-focused care.

Which Tucson hospitals are most affordable?

Tucson Medical Center has the best cost-to-charge ratio at 0.28 (3.6x markup). Banner University Medical Center Tucson follows at 0.25 (3.9x). Avoid Carondelet/Tenet hospitals if cost matters — St. Joseph's at 0.07 means charges are 14x actual costs.

How can I compare hospital prices in Tucson?

Use Taven's free provider comparison tool to compare prices across Banner, Tucson Medical Center, and Carondelet facilities. Tucson's transparency data is limited, so requesting Good Faith Estimates directly from hospitals is especially important.

Best Hospitals in Tucson (2026) — Ranked by Quality & Cost

Tucson's hospital market is dominated by Banner Health (operating the University of Arizona's medical centers) and Carondelet Health Network (Tenet Healthcare). No Tucson hospital earns above 3 stars, and the market shows a sharp divide between Banner's moderate markups (3.9–4.3x) and Carondelet/Tenet's extreme markups (10–14x).

This guide ranks Tucson-area hospitals by CMS star ratings, cost-to-charge ratios, and price transparency — helping you navigate Arizona's second-largest metro.

Top 5 Hospitals in Tucson

Hospital	CMS Rating	Cost-to-Charge	Priced Procedures
Banner - University Medical Center Tucson	⭐⭐⭐	0.25	18
Banner University Medical Center South	⭐⭐⭐	0.23	0
Oro Valley Hospital	⭐⭐⭐	0.10	0
Tucson Medical Center	⭐⭐	0.28	0
St. Joseph's Hospital	⭐⭐	0.07	0

Understanding the Rankings

CMS Star Ratings

Tucson's highest-rated hospitals all earn 3 stars: Banner - University Medical Center Tucson, Banner University Medical Center South, Oro Valley Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital, and Banner University Medical Center Tucson. The 2-star tier includes Tucson Medical Center (the city's largest independent community hospital) and St. Joseph's Hospital (part of Carondelet/Tenet).

Cost-to-Charge Ratio

Tucson Medical Center shows the best ratio at 0.28 (3.6x markup). Banner University Medical Center Tucson sits at 0.25 (3.9x) and Banner South at 0.23 (4.3x). The Carondelet/Tenet hospitals show extreme markups: Oro Valley Hospital at 0.10 (10x), St. Mary's Hospital at 0.08 (12x), and St. Joseph's Hospital at 0.07 (14x). This for-profit markup pattern is dramatic.

Price Transparency

Tucson's transparency data is limited. Banner University Medical Center Tucson publishes 18 priced procedures. Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Tucson publishes 64. Most other facilities show no published pricing data, making upfront price comparison difficult.

Best Value Hospitals in Tucson

**Best overall:** Banner - University Medical Center Tucson — 3-star, 0.25 ratio, 18 published procedures, academic medical center
**Best independent option:** Tucson Medical Center — best cost ratio at 0.28 (3.6x markup), independent community hospital
**Best academic care:** Banner University Medical Center — affiliated with University of Arizona College of Medicine
**Avoid for value:** Carondelet/Tenet hospitals — St. Joseph's at 0.07 (14x markup) and St. Mary's at 0.08 (12x)
**Best north Tucson:** Oro Valley Hospital — 3-star but 10x markup (Tenet-owned)

Tucson Hospital System Overview

**Banner Health** — Arizona's largest health system. Operates Banner University Medical Center Tucson (3-star, 0.25 ratio) and Banner University Medical Center South (3-star, 0.23 ratio) in partnership with the University of Arizona. The best value option with the academic medicine advantage.
**Carondelet Health Network (Tenet Healthcare)** — For-profit system operating St. Joseph's Hospital (2-star, 0.07 ratio), St. Mary's Hospital (3-star, 0.08 ratio), and Oro Valley Hospital (3-star, 0.10 ratio). Extreme markups of 10–14x actual costs — among the highest in any city we track.
**Tucson Medical Center (TMC)** — Independent community hospital (2-star, 0.28 ratio). The city's oldest and largest independent hospital. Best cost-to-charge ratio in Tucson but limited transparency data.
**Northwest Healthcare** — Operates Northwest Medical Center (2-star). Part of the broader for-profit landscape in Tucson.

Tucson's For-Profit Problem

Tucson's hospital market illustrates the impact of for-profit ownership on healthcare pricing. The Carondelet/Tenet hospitals charge 10–14x actual costs — some of the highest markups in any city we track. Banner Health's nonprofit academic centers offer far better value at 3.9–4.3x markups. Tucson Medical Center, as an independent community hospital, sits in between. For planned procedures, patients should strongly favor Banner facilities over Carondelet whenever possible. Arizona's limited hospital regulations provide fewer patient protections than states like Maryland or Massachusetts.

Tips for Choosing a Hospital in Tucson

**Choose Banner over Carondelet for value.** The markup difference is massive: 3.9x (Banner) vs. 10–14x (Carondelet/Tenet).
**Tucson Medical Center is the independent alternative.** Best ratio at 0.28 as a community-owned hospital.
**Banner offers academic medicine.** University of Arizona affiliation means access to specialists and clinical trials.
**Compare prices before scheduled procedures.** Use Taven's comparison tool with real Tucson data.
**Arizona has limited patient protections.** No state surprise billing law beyond the federal No Surprises Act.
**Ask about charity care** — Banner and TMC are nonprofits with financial assistance programs. Carondelet/Tenet has more limited charity care.
**Get a Good Faith Estimate** before any planned procedure.
**Review your bill.** Use our free bill review tool to catch errors and overcharges.

How We Rank Hospitals

Our rankings use CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, cost-to-charge ratios from CMS cost reports, and price transparency compliance data. We don't accept advertising from hospitals. Learn more about our methodology.