Study: Indiana ranks in top 10 for hospital prices in nation

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana is likely one of the most costly locations within the nation to obtain each inpatient and outpatient hospital care, based on a research.

The RAND 4.0 Hospital Transparency Examine ranks Indiana’s hospital costs seventh highest within the nation. That quantity rises to fourth for inpatient companies solely, and sixth for outpatient companies.
The research says Indiana hospitals cost insurers thrice the quantity they cost Medicare.

“Each hospital within the nation costs greater than Medicare, however not thrice greater than Medicare,” stated Al Hubbard, chairman of Hoosiers for Reasonably priced Well being Care.

Different components driving up prices embody low doctor reimbursement charges, hospital consolidation, and hospitals buying outpatient companies.

“Research present this raises costs as a result of the physicians don’t think about different alternate options. They feed their sufferers to their employer,” Hubbard stated.

Hubbard says he’s listening to from some medical doctors who’ve referred sufferers to the Mayo or Cleveland clinics out of state as a result of it’s cheaper than getting care in state.

“What’s significantly disturbing is that they’re nonprofit, so they’re purported to function for the nice of the neighborhood. A lot of them are religiously affiliated, and I can’t imagine its in step with their spiritual commitments to make the most of hospital sufferers and over cost them,” Hubbard stated.

Earlier this 12 months, the Indiana Legislature requested Indiana College Well being, the state’s largest hospital system, to handle the decreasing of well being care prices. IU Well being responded saying it would scale back a few of these prices by 2025.