Price of blood: Nonprofit suggests competition could lower costs

People may donate it for free, but the cost of collecting, processing and transporting it adds up. The Mohawk Valley Health System, for example, spent $3.1 million on blood last year, or about 1.4 percent of non-salary expenses, a spokeswoman said. But a New York nonprofit thinks it could help bring those costs down for Central New York hospitals by creating some competition in the region.