Healthcare costs in Virginia continue to vary dramatically depending on where a patient is treated. Just how much? Most recent dollar amounts reported by Virginia Health Information (VHI) reveal the same service could cost you as much as 2-3 times more depending on where you live and where you are treated.
Take a colonoscopy for example – the cost in a hospital for Northern Virginia residents was $2,849 in 2017. Meanwhile, the cost in a Southwestern Virginia physician’s office was less than half as much ($1,206).
This is just one example of the many pricing differences that can be explored within VHI’s 2019 Healthcare Pricing Transparency Report, available free to the public.
Consumers can learn about over 35 services including some of the most commonly performed tests, surgeries, doctor visits and emergency room care. The report is now displayed as an interactive dashboard which clearly describes each service with potential costs by service and by region. Information on how costs vary when a service is provided at an ambulatory surgical center, hospital outpatient facility or physician office is also included.
This year’s report has expanded to allow consumers to see statewide cost ranges with even more detail on how much the cost of an individual service can vary.