Corporate hospital systems continue to claim that site-neutral reforms will harm rural hospitals and the communities they serve. But, a new study by Arnold Ventures shows that the impact on rural areas would be minimal.
When patients on Medicare get care from a hospital-owned outpatient department, they have to pay 4x more than they would at an independent doctor’s office.
A few facts:
- 61% of rural hospitals are exempt from proposed site-neutral reforms
- Facilities subject to legislative reforms only account for 2% of all rural outpatient spending in Medicare
- An average allergy skin test costs $176.01 at a doctor’s office and $719.16 at an off-campus outpatient department– a 308% increase.
More than 100 million Americans are impacted by medical debt– and this number will only increase as hospital consolidation increases in rural areas. Hospital consolidation harms rural patients far more, who are often older and sicker, emphasizing the need to protect access to care.
Better Solutions is committed to holding corporate hospitals for their role in rising healthcare costs, such as hospital consolidation.