An analysis of Medicare claims data for spine surgery highlighted wide disparities in Medicare Spending per Beneficiary cost for hospitals in the New York tri-state area, according to Dexur.
The healthcare rankings authority analyzed hospitals that recorded more than 11 episodes of DRG 460, spinal fusion except cervical without major complication or comorbidity, during 2019.
Analysis is based on first-quarter 2020 data, but the index hospitalization discharge rate was until December 2019 to accommodate the 30-day post-discharge period in calculating rehospitalization, skilled nursing facilities and home health agency costs.
The analysis included hospitals in Manhattan, N.Y., Long Island, N.Y., New Jersey and Connecticut.
Following are the hospitals in each area with the lowest and highest average MSPB cost per episode:
Manhattan
Hospital for Special Surgery
Number of episodes: 159
Average MSPB cost per episode: $39,696
Average index hospitalization cost per episode: $35,703
Average post-discharge cost per episode: $3,992
Mount Sinai West
Number of episodes: 16
Average MSPB cost per episode: $60,588
Average index hospitalization cost per episode: $43,059
Average post-discharge cost per episode: $17,529
Long Island
Huntington Hospital
Number of episodes: 24
Average MSPB cost per episode: $40,206
Average index hospitalization cost per episode: $31,122
Average post-discharge cost per episode: $9,084
University Hospital at Stony Brook
Number of episodes: 45
Average MSPB cost per episode: $56,939
Average index hospitalization cost per episode: $43,151
Average post-discharge cost per episode: $13,788
New Jersey
Holy Name Medical Center (Teaneck)
Number of episodes: 17
Average MSPB cost per episode: $33,871
Average index hospitalization cost per episode: $29,517
Average post-discharge cost per episode: $4,354
Saint Barnabas Medical Center (Livingston)
Number of episodes: 28
Average MSPB cost per episode: $52,996
Average index hospitalization cost per episode: $35,264
Average post-discharge cost per episode: $17,732
Connecticut
Stamford Hospital
Number of episodes: 13
Average MSPB cost per episode: $33,817
Average index hospitalization cost per episode: $31,405
Average post-discharge cost per episode: $2,411
Yale New Haven Hospital
Number of episodes: 60
Average MSPB cost per episode: $58,116
Average index hospitalization cost per episode: $39,660
Average post-discharge cost per episode: $18,429
Click here to view the full list of hospitals in the Dexur analysis.