Oregon's attempt at hospital pricing transparency reveals much variation among the fees paid by insurance companies pay hospitals for similar services.
For example, reports the Mail Tribune (Medford, Ore.), Ashland Community Hospital received 71% more than the state average for knee joint replacements. Providence Medford Medical Center was paid 46% above the average for appendectomies, while and Rogue Valley Medical Center was paid 51% more than the state average for certain intestinal surgery. However, Rogue Valley, in Medford, may be the least costly place in Jackson County for removal of a benign gynecological tumor, while Providence gets relatively little to treat pneumonia.
To learn more:
- Read the Mail Tribune story. Article
- Visit the Oregon Office of Health Policy and Research's comparison site. Web site