More on Health Spending Trends

This report from the Health Care Cost Institute describes health spending trends by major US geographic area.  The national median spending per person was about $6100.  Using what it refers to as the Health Marketplace Index, the authors create a tool to let you analyze spending in any urban area and identify factors associated with the spending.  Looking at my home town area of the Twin Cities for example, we see that while total spending per person was supposedly down 3% from the national median, prices were up a whopping 18% from the median, utilization was 2% below the national midpoint and the mix or intensity of services was 17% lower.  We can also see that hospital concentration is moderate in this market and that in regard to certain factors associated with level of spending, like percent of minority population, we are below the national average and on others above.  It is interesting to look at various urban areas and see the wide variation across the country.   (HCCI Report)