A first-ever comparison of what commercial insurers are paying for healthcare in different regions shows wide variation in spending. The report from the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI), a national organization of local groups working to improve healthcare, analyzed spending by commercial health insurance plans in five regions nationwide (Oregon, Utah, Maryland, St. Louis, and Minnesota). Analysts found a $1,080 yearly difference in the amount plans spend, on average, per enrollee. This study aggregates data from seven Oregon health plans and includes one-third of commercially-insured Oregonians, the most of any study of its kind. When compared with data from other regions, Oregon’s use of health care resources is lower than average; however, Oregon’s prices are the highest of the five regions – 17% above average – which results in an overall higher total cost of care.
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