A heart attack could cost $80,000 or $180,000 depending on which hospital treats you.
Detailed hospital charge data revealed in a report this week by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, or PHC4, show vast gaps between charges for the same treatment, with population, geography and hospital affiliation apparently tipping the scales one way or the other.
For example, angioplasty or a stent for a heart attack costs on average $183,676 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, the highest among 11 Northeast Pennsylvania hospitals that The Times-Tribune analyzed from the 2018 Hospital Performance Report.
Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono is the most cost-effective place to go for heart attack care, with an actual average cost of $77,859.
The PHC4 studies hospital-provided data, and publishes average, expected average and adjusted charges that represent a single stay. The data does not reflect doctors’ fees, follow-up care or rehabilitation, which can add significantly to the bottom line.
Hospital charges highlight the total charges for 17 specific illnesses or conditions, but hospitals typically receive less than the listed charge, and insured patients pay far less out of pocket.
Charges take into account a number of factors that can swing totals dramatically in either direction. Care at larger, more urban hospitals typically always costs more. They have larger clinical staffs and more costly equipment.
They also see a greater share of poor patients and have to make up for what amounts to charity medical care.
Hospitals affiliated with the largest health systems mostly had higher charges than their smaller, rural counterparts.
For example, a colorectal procedure at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale costs on average $42,176 or about 55% less than the state average.
Charges for the same care at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Twp. reach up to an actual average of nearly $142,000.
Contact the writer:
joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131;
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