Hospital prices negotiated by insurers for their commercial plans are two- to three-times higher than Medicare Advantage plan prices at the same location for the same services, according to a new study published in Health Affairs.
The median commercial-to-MA price ratio in the same hospital was 1.8 for surgical and medical services, 2.4 for imaging, and 2.2 for laboratory tests and emergency department visits. On average, prices for commercial plans were between $660 and $707 more expensive than with MA.
Hospitals that were part of health systems, teaching institutions and large national insurers were associated with higher commercial-to-MA plan price ratios, according to the study. The finding comes as the cost of health insurance in the commercial market has risen over the past 10 years Healthcare Dive reports. Read more.
