Healthcare Financial News

Hospital charges rose 8 percent to $943 billion in 2006 nationwide, up from $873 billion the prior year, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The steep increase occurred even though hospitals admissions increased only slightly, from 39.2 million to 39.5 million.

Between 2005 and 2006, hospital charges increased by 15 percent for the uninsured (to $44 billion). Charges increased 9 percent for Medicaid patients, 8 percent for Medicare patients, and 6 percent for patients with private insurance.

The information is based on data from The National Bill: The Most Expensive Conditions by Payer, 2006 (H-CUP Statistical Brief #59). Read the statistical brief.

America’s farm and ranch families are paying top dollar for health insurance that inadequately covers their needs and causes them significant financial risk, according to a report released Sept. 16 from The Access Project and sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The 2007 Health Insurance Survey of Farm and Ranch Operators shows that while nine in 10 farm and ranch operators have health insurance, nearly a quarter (23 percent) report that insurance premiums and other out-of-pocket healthcare costs are causing financial difficulties for themselves and their families. These families report spending 42 percent of their income on healthcare coverage and medical costs. In addition, 44 percent report spending at least 10 percent of their annual income on health insurance premiums, prescriptions, and other out-of-pocket medical costs. Farm and ranch operators are especially hard hit because they are often forced to buy insurance on the individual, nongroup market, where insurance costs more and often covers less. Read the report.