Massachusetts medical costs skyrocket

[unhappycamper]

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/healthcare/2015/07/massachusetts_medical_costs_skyrocket



AFFORDABLE CARE: A consumer study identified Bay State health care costs as among the nation’s fastest-rising.

Massachusetts medical costs skyrocket
Monday, July 6, 2015
Lindsay Kalter

Boston and two other 
Massachusetts cities are among five places nationwide with the fastest-rising medical costs, according to a recent study — which health care watchers attribute in part to skyrocketing drug prices and high rates of medical specialization.

“Rising health care costs are a challenge for everyone: employers, consumers, the state,” said Eric Linzer of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, who was not involved in the study. “This information is consistent with state reports over the last several years.”

The study, conducted by consumer health site BetterDoctor, found that Springfield, Worcester and Boston saw some of the most drastic medical cost increases between 2011 and 2013, based on Medicare data. Prices for treating severe mental disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital increased by 78 percent, the study found. Inpatient diagnoses cost an average of about $61,000 in 2013 — up from about $34,000 in 2011. MGH declined to comment on the study.

BetterDoctor senior analyst Divya Raghavan, who conducted the study, said, “There’s a lack of transparency when it comes to health care costs. We wanted to make them more transparent by looking at procedure costs.”

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