The median metropolitan area saw healthcare prices rise 13 percent from 2012-16, despite a 17 percent decrease in services used, according to a report from the Health Care Cost Institute.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded report drew from more than 1.8 billion commercial healthcare claims to benchmark healthcare price and use across 112 metro areas from 2012-16.
According to the report, areas with high use tended to have lower prices, and areas with low use had higher prices. Baltimore, for example, had the lowest healthcare prices in the U.S. during the time span and the highest overall use. Conversely, San Francisco and Green Bay, Wis., had the highest prices and below-average use.
However, some areas bucked this trend. Milwaukee and New York had relatively high service use and were also among the top 10 areas with the highest prices, according to the report.
To view HCCI's analysis, click here.
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