A new study published in Spine examines how hospital characteristics impact Medicare charges and payments for cervical spine surgery.
The researchers identified hospital characteristics and patient population characteristics with excess charges and examined the cost-to-charge ratio for Medicare patients undergoing cervical spinal fusion. The researchers found:
1. The average excess charge was $59,799, with interquartile range at $41,668 and $69,576.
2. The cost-to-charge ratio was 25.8 percent with the interquartile range at 20.4 percent and 32.7 percent.
3. Urban hospitals have had higher excess charges. There was also an association between excess charges and procedure volume, and proportion of patients with one or more comorbid conditions.
4. There weren't any differences based on hospital size, ownership, teaching status, geographical region or proportion of female or non-white patients.
5. The private hospitals had a higher cost-to-charge ratio than government hospitals.
"The relationship between hospital charges and payments for cervical spine surgery without complications is associated with certain hospital and patient population characteristics," concluded the study authors.