On health care availability, hospital fees and site-neutral payment: a slideshow

Author(s):

Richard Payerchin

Key Takeaways

Hospital care is the largest expenditure in U.S. healthcare, with hidden fees exacerbating patient cost concerns.
Despite cost concerns, the Affordable Care Act retains majority support among Americans.
Site-neutral payment reform is advocated to address market inefficiencies and reduce healthcare costs.
Implementing site-neutral payment policies could save billions for patients and taxpayers, urging Congressional action.

Data from reports on two new West Health-Gallup polls.

The single largest source of expenditures in U.S. health care is not physicians.

It’s hospital care, at least as of 2022, and patients say they worry about health care costs due to hidden hospital fees that add thousands of dollars to medical bills.

Meanwhile, as the nation prepares for the next administration of President-elect Donald Trump, a majority of people said they still approve of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

This slideshow presents findings and data from two end-of-2024 reports from West Health and Gallup this month: “New West Health-Gallup Poll Reveals Most Americans Worried About Often Hidden Healthcare Fees,” by Gallup Communications & Content Manager Tiffany Yu, “More in U.S. See Health Coverage as Government Responsibility,” by Jeffrey M. Jones. West Health-Gallup also cited the “National Health Expenditures 2022 Highlights,” published in December 2023 by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Time for site-neutral payment?

Hospitals may add fees on top of charges for routine medical services, and patients may end up paying more than they would at independent physicians’ office or freestanding clinics, Yu’s report said.

That’s been a thorn in the side of doctors – and a pinch to their income – for years.

“The time for site-neutral payment reform is long overdue,” West Health Policy Center President Tim Lash said in the hidden fees report. “The high and rising costs of health care requires addressing the market inefficiencies that come from site-specific payment rates. A new policy could save patients and taxpayers billions in health care costs. There is clear directive for Congress to act.”