Study Finds Massachusetts Hospitals Per Capita Spending Highest in the World

A new study finds that per capita hospital spending in Massachusetts is the highest in the world and is now more than 55 percent higher than the national average, according to a report by the Republican.

The 400-page report, developed by researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health, pegged the state's rate at $3,015 per person, compared with the national average of $1,941.

Reasons for the higher hospital prices include a high and growing reliance on major teaching hospitals, the highest physician-to-population ratio in the nation, heavy reliance on hospitals for outpatient care, high surgery rates and capital improvements.

Following an initial analysis of the BU report, the Massachusetts Hospital Association said it "inaccurately utilizes data that, while useful for establishing national statistics and trends, is unreliable for drawing conclusions at the state level."

The report concludes that the state's health reform law is not responsible for any of the rising costs.

Read the Republican's report on Massachusetts hospital spending.