The True Cost of Medical Procedures in Each State

Posted in Uncategorized on November 16, 2023

Medical procedures are both physically and fiscally taxing, and costs vary greatly depending on the procedure and who performs it. 

With healthcare costs constantly a matter of concern for Americans, we set out to discover the average costs of common medical procedures as well as what U.S. states and facilities charge the highest prices.

Key Findings 

• Outpatient facilities are usually more expensive than surgery centers, sometimes charging thousands more.
• Iowa has the lowest average cost of medical procedures, while  Alaska has the highest.
• Heart bypass surgery is the most expensive common surgery with an average cost of $57,128.
• The priciest common exam is a colonoscopy, with an average cost of $1,650 at an outpatient facility.

The Average Cost of Common Surgeries

The most expensive common surgery is a heart bypass surgery. It is most commonly performed to treat coronary artery disease and it costs $57,128 on average. In Alaska, the surgery costs almost 13 thousand dollars more than the national average ($70,397). Iowa has the best price on average for patients at $49,517. 

Cataract surgery is the least expensive on our list with an average cost of about #3,441. In this procedure, a cloudy eye lens is removed and typically replaced with an artificial lens. With more than half of the 80-and-up population either having cataracts or having had surgery to correct it, it is one of the most common and regularly performed surgery.

The most significant difference in costs, besides the specific kind of surgery, relates to whether the surgery takes place at an outpatient facility or a standalone surgery center. Outpatient departments and clinics are usually owned and run by hospitals, while surgery centers operate independently. 

Typically, outpatient facilities come with a higher price tag compared to surgery centers. However, they might provide a wider range of support services because of their affiliation with hospitals. An average cost comparison of several common surgeries strongly emphasizes the financial benefit of surgery centers:

• Hysterectomy (O) = $12,862 
• Hysterectomy (SC) = $6,675 
• Knee Replacement Surgery (O) = $18,562
• Knee Replacement Surgery (SC) = $14,088 

The Cost to Get Your Annual Physical in Every U.S. State

The price of an annual physical may cost more than you think. Alaska leads our nation with the highest cost on average at $502 per annual physical. Conversely, Iowa residents have the cheapest charge at $353 – a fraction (about 30%) of the cost to Alaskans!

Following close behind, New Jersey has the second most expensive annual physical charge at $487; $80 more than the national average. Floridians, on the other hand, are charged $407 on average for the annual physical, which is right at the national average. 

The Cost to Give Birth in Every U.S. State

Another regularly performed medical procedure is childbirth. Women undergo one of two typical procedures when giving birth which are a cesarean section or a vaginal birth. 

Of the two options to give birth, a cesarean section is just marginally more expensive than a vaginal delivery on average. C-sections have a national average price of $3,158 while a vaginal delivery costs around $3,144. Therefore, the average cost of giving birth is $3,148, the average of C-section and vaginal delivery prices. It’s important to note, that these costs do not include the price of anesthesia, imaging, and other fees normally accrued during delivery. 

When comparing the cost of giving birth with one’s yearly income, Mississippians spend the highest percentage of their income on giving birth at 6.5%. Residents of Massachusetts, on the other hand, spend 4.6% of their yearly income on giving birth, the lowest rate in the country. The average American spends $1 out of every $20 they earn for a year on giving birth. 

Closing Thoughts

The cost of medical procedures can put a significant financial burden on patients who are already dealing with the emotional burden of a health issue. To relieve some of the stress of receiving a medical procedure, the specialized medical malpractice lawyers at Weiss & Paarz have dedicated their careers to helping patients seek justice after suffering catastrophic injuries resulting from medical malpractice. If you believe that you or a family member may be a victim of medical malpractice, contact us to determine if you have a legal cause of action.

Methodology

We gathered a list of common surgeries from Johns Hopkins and a list of non-surgery procedures from Better Health and sourced the cost for each procedure in every U.S. state from Sidecar Health to compare and analyze the cost of 20 total medical procedures. The prices are based on over 1 billion insurance claims (between July 2017 and July 2019) comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of procedures. 

Disclaimer: The historical information and specific statistics displayed above are solely designed to provide general knowledge to the public and are being used as a part of attorney marketing. Cited statistics and statements were taken from the research of various independent websites (referenced below). Weiss & Paarz did not take any steps to replicate the findings of any sources used in this infographic, nor were the numbers or results displayed above independently verified by Weiss & Paarz.