We have been looking at the 2012 Inpatient cost data from Medicare. It covers the most frequent 100 inpatient services. We were going to publish the Average out-of-pocket cost along with the min and max, but it got too busy on the eyes. So for now we are just comparing the avg out-of-pocket for NH state avg vs. the national out-of-pocket. In some cases the difference is quite large, with either NH providers being lower cost or higher cost. So there are no conclusions to be drawn from state to national relative costs.
We often hear stories about consumers being encouraged to travel abroad for medical procedures. Clearly the cost differential can justify the travel cost. And in many cases the quality of care is probably as good or better than in the US. But when some hear the suggestion, the reaction is often “I have no desire to go to a country 4,000 miles away to get surgery and its not necessarily due to concerns about the relative quality of care; its about ending up stranded in a foreign land.”
Perhaps there should be a cottage industry tailoring to medical tourism at the state level! It could help a lot of the more rural hospitals and give retirees the chance to see a part of the country they’ve always wanted to visit. The cost variances could at least defray a portion of the travel cost!
Let us know if you would like to see another state comparison – we are happy to run it.
Here is the link:
http://tabsoft.co/1CLWU7W
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