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