National Nurses United, the largest nurses union in the country, has released new data outlining the 100 most expensive U.S. hospitals based on charges and costs.
The NNU and its research arm, the Institute for Health and Socio-Economic Policy, based its findings on Medicare cost reports from this past June, which covered hospital charges and costs for fiscal year 2012.
According to the report, the most expensive hospital in America is Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center, a 230-bed for-profit hospital in Secaucus, N.J. Its charge-to-cost ratio was 1,192 percent, meaning it essentially charged $1,200 for every $100 of total costs. The average charge-to-cost ratio among U.S. hospitals is 331 percent, according to the data.
For-profit hospitals dominated the list, as each of the 21 highest with the highest charge-to-cost ratios were owned or operated by an investor-owned operator. Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, Naples, Fla.-based Health Management Associates, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp. and Nashville, Tenn.-based Hospital Corporation of America were among the most cited.
Municipal hospitals and other government-owned hospitals had average charge-to-cost ratios of 235 percent, compared with 503 percent at for-profit hospitals.
Here are the 10 most expensive hospitals in the country, based on charge-to-cost ratios:
1. Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center (Secaucus, N.J.) — 1,192 percent
2. Paul B. Hall Regional Medical Center (Paintsville, Ky.) — 1,186 percent
3. Orange Park (Fla.) Medical Center — 1,139 percent
4. North Okaloosa Medical Center (Crestview, Fla.) — 1,137 percent
5. Gadsden (Ala.) Regional Medical Center — 1,128 percent
6. Bayonne (N.J.) Medical Center — 1,084 percent
7. Bayfront Health Brooksville (Fla.) — 1,083 percent
8. Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center (Davenport) — 1,058 percent
9. Chestnut Hill Hospital (Philadelphia) — 1,058 percent
10. Oak Hill Hospital (Brooksville, Fla.) — 1,052 percent
To view all 100 of the hospitals with the highest charge-to-cost ratios, according to NNU and IHSP data, click here.
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