Colorado Hospital Association Releases Report on Hospital Costs and Opportunities
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLO. – Jan. 15, 2019 – Today, Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) is releasing “Health Care Costs and Hospitals: Drivers and Opportunities” – a report that examines a number of components that are tied to health care costs and affordability.
“CHA has been working on this analysis as a way to tell a more complete and accurate story about what is driving health care costs in the state,” said Steven Summer, president and CEO, CHA. The Association also shared its recommendations moving forward on steps hospitals and stakeholders can take to create progress in improving affordability. This report will be shared with legislators and key stakeholders today.
Despite recent reports of higher than average costs in Colorado, Colorado actually spent the 5th lowest amount per capita on health care in 2014 (the most recent year for national expenditure data) and nearly 17 percent less per person than the national average. This report examines those comparisons to national data, as well as the role of the cost of living in Colorado and its impact on administrative and capital costs for hospitals; the correlation between hospital overhead costs and health insurance premiums and how hospital building and development compares to national trends.
Colorado hospitals are committed to improving the affordability of health care in Colorado and sharing relevant information with policymakers to inform decisions. Today’s report builds on CHA’s previous work to promote transparency and affordability in health care, including The Financial Health of Colorado Hospitals (2017) and Affordability in Colorado: Answers About Health Care Costs (2018). Additional information about the Association’s Transparency and Affordability Initiative and its other ongoing efforts in this area (such as the Hospital Report Card and Hospital Price Report) can be found at www.cha.com/transparency.
The report is also posted to www.cha.com. It includes an executive summary with key takeaways from the data as well as recommendations for hospitals, stakeholders and legislators.
About Colorado Hospital Association
Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) is the leading voice of Colorado’s hospital and health system community. Representing 110 member hospitals and health systems throughout the state, CHA serves as a trusted, credible and reliable resource on health issues, hospital data and trends for its members, media, policymakers and the general public. Through CHA, Colorado’s hospitals and health systems work together in their shared commitment to improve health and health care in Colorado. Learn more at www.cha.com.
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