Acute Care Hospital Comparison Released by NH Insurance Department
November 5, 2008
Compares short-term general hospital costs incurred by commercial insurance carriers in New Hampshire.
Twenty-six New Hampshire hospitals were analyzed separately on inpatient and outpatient basis using data from calendar year 2005 and 2006. The analysis was performed for the purpose of informing NH Citizens Health Initiative stakeholders about the relative costs between NH hospitals. The report states "Initiative participants understand the hospital costs contribute substantially to the price of health insurance premiums, and a better understanding of cost drivers may assist with efforts to reduce the escalation of health insurance premiums".
The focus of the report is: How do NH hospitals compare to one another. Studied were hospital charges and payments at a very detailed level, based on insured status, patient encounter, claim, and diagnosis procedure to allow for specific comparison. Changes from year to year were not the focus of the analysis but increases of ten percent or more in average charge per case in both hospital discharge data and the New Hampshire Health Care Information System, were observed. These increases were often mirrored by a change in carrier reimbursement.
Various websites are available to provide information on New Hampshire hospitals:
- www.NHQualityCare.org - Provides accurate and honest information about quality care in NH hospitals
- www.NHPricePoint.org - NH Hospital Association site provides facility specific information about services and charges
- www.NHHealthCost.org - NH Government website providing information on the cost of inpatient and outpatient procedures in NH hospitals.
- www.NHHealthInfo.org provides a review and analysis of key resources available to employers struggling with decision about health insurance benefits.
To read the New Hampshire Acute Care Hospital Comparison report in its entirety, click here. (PDF) http://www.nh.gov/insurance/consumers/documents/nh_ac_hosp_comp.pdf
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