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North Dakota, Wyoming Had Highest Increase in Hospital Expenses Over Last Decade

Analysis  |  By Jack O'Brien  
   May 20, 2020

Only Alaska and Maryland did not experience an increase in hospital expenses per visit.

Hospital expenses per visit increased over 188% in North Dakota from 2009 to 2018, the most of any state during that period, according to a QuoteWizard report released Tuesday.

North Dakota was followed by Wyoming, which saw its hospital expenses increase over 91%, Wisconsin at over 72%, and Idaho at over 66.5%.

Only Alaska and Maryland did not experience an increase in hospital expenses per visit during the analysis period, with declines of 0.62% and 7.05%.

Related: States Lean on Legislation to Drive Competition, Lower Costs

The study indicated that the average hospital expense for an inpatient visit was $2,335 in 2018, a 36% increase compared to 2009.

Related: Illinois Community Practice Reduced Cancer Drug Spend by 13.5%

According to the most recent data, North Dakota, Connecticut, and Oregon had the highest hospital expenses per visit in the country. On the other hand, West Virginia had the lowest hospital expenses at $1,446 per visit.

The report is another insight into the cost of healthcare in America and price variability across states.

Just over two weeks ago, the Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR) released its report card on healthcare price transparency and awarded Maine and New Hampshire an 'A' grade, the only states to receive that distinction.

Related: Maine, N.H. Lead Report Card on Healthcare Price Transparency

Meanwhile, 34 states received failing grades from the report, though CPR noted that "many states have made progress" since the last report card released in 2017.

Full list of hospital expense increases:

Rank

1

State

North Dakota

2009 Average

$1,238

2018 Average

$3,573

% Change

188.61%

2

Wyoming

$1,293

$2,473

91.26%

3

Wisconsin

$1,629

$2,807

72.31%

4

Idaho

$1,781

$2,966

66.54%

5

Vermont

$1,586

$2,633

66.02%

6

New York

$1,811

$2,894

59.80%

7

Nebraska

$1,347

$2,140

58.87%

8

Connecticut

$2,238

$3,481

55.54%

9

Minnesota

$1,317

$2,048

55.50%

10

Illinois

$1,646

$2,522

53.22%

11

West Virginia

$952

$1,446

51.89%

12

Ohio

$1,812

$2,702

49.12%

13

Kansas

$1,344

$1,963

46.06%

14

Arkansas

$1,361

$1,984

45.78%

15

Tennessee

$1,381

$2,013

45.76%

16

New Mexico

$1,985

$2,826

42.37%

17

California

$2,239

$3,180

42.03%

18

Kentucky

$1,434

$2,020

40.86%

19

Colorado

$2,086

$2,931

40.51%

20

Pennsylvania

$1,356

$1,892

39.53%

21

Oregon

$2,459

$3,426

39.32%

22

Michigan

$1,439

$1,991

38.36%

23

Texas

$1,944

$2,664

37.04%

24

Utah

$2,104

$2,883

37.02%

25

Hawaii

$1,656

$2,235

34.96%

26

Louisiana

$1,522

$2,054

34.95%

27

Oklahoma

$1,441

$1,939

34.56%

28

Washington

$2,516

$3,385

34.54%

29

Maine

$1,331

$1,785

34.11%

30

Arizona

$1,874

$2,482

32.44%

31

Indiana

$1,816

$2,391

31.66%

32

South Dakota

$1,563

$2,053

31.35%

33

New Jersey

$1,828

$2,399

31.24%

34

North Carolina

$1,579

$2,050

29.83%

35

New Hampshire

$1,871

$2,400

28.27%

36

Georgia

$1,262

$1,607

27.34%

37

Virginia

$1,970

$2,435

23.60%

38

Florida

$1,707

$2,105

23.32%

39

Alabama

$1,294

$1,582

22.26%

40

South Carolina

$1,745

$2,052

17.59%

41

Missouri

$1,789

$2,101

17.44%

42

Mississippi

$1,265

$1,472

16.36%

43

Massachusetts

$2,066

$2,390

15.68%

44

Rhode Island

$2,235

$2,509

12.26%

45

Montana

$1,444

$1,599

10.73%

46

Iowa

$1,442

$1,595

10.61%

47

Nevada

$2,018

$2,213

9.66%

48

Delaware

$1,954

$2,062

5.53%

49

Maryland

$2,093

$2,080

-0.62%

50

Alaska

$2,354

$2,188

-7.05%

Jack O'Brien is the Content Team Lead and Finance Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.


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