Alaska

What Medicare pays in Alaska

Billed charges against Medicare allowed amounts in Alaska, across the 229 procedures Medicare covers most often.

229Procedures
3,002,564Services covered
4.2xBilled vs allowed
#5Rank of 61

Providers here billed the most above the national figure for removal of cataract with insertion of prosthetic lens. The average was $4,823.90 against a national $1,027.76. That is 4.7 times as much.

Whose price this is

These are Medicare figures. The billed column is what providers asked for. The allowed column is what Medicare agreed to pay. Neither is what an uninsured patient gets charged, and neither is what a private insurer negotiates.

The gap between the two columns is the point. A hospital billing three times what Medicare allows tells you the billed number was never a price. It was an opening position.

The 40 most common procedures in Alaska

ProcedureBilled hereAllowedGapvs national billed
Fixed wing air mileage, per statute mile$88.38$14.895.9x0.64x
Established patient office or other outpatient visit with moderate level of decision making, if using time, 30 minutes or more$387.32$143.022.7x1.41x
Ground mileage, per statute mile$23.84$10.742.2x0.90x
Established patient office or other outpatient visit with low level od decision making, if using time, 20 minutes or more$253.50$99.332.6x1.35x
Therapy procedure using exercise to develop strength, endurance, range of motion, and flexibility, each 15 minutes$96.85$29.743.3x1.40x
Therapy procedure using functional activities$103.80$37.282.8x1.39x
Injection, bupivacaine liposome, 1 mg$4.78$1.383.5x0.98x
Therapy procedure to re-educate brain-to-nerve-to-muscle function, each 15 minutes$98.82$34.462.9x1.36x
Therapy procedure using manual technique, each 15 minutes$87.78$26.643.3x1.29x
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making, if using time, at least 35 minutes$376.17$98.743.8x1.85x
Chiropractic manipulative treatment, 3-4 spinal regions$84.10$49.721.7x1.39x
Established patient office or other outpatient visit with high level of medical decision making, if using time, 40 minutes or more$518.94$201.222.6x1.28x
Insertion of needle into vein for collection of blood sample$37.37$8.504.4x1.71x
Visit complexity inherent to evaluation and management associated with medical care services that serve as the continuing focal point for all needed health care services and/or with medical care services that are part of ongoing care related to a patient's$48.69$20.602.4x1.12x
Subsequent hospital care with moderate levelof medical decision making, if using time, at least 50 minutes$571.70$148.643.8x1.76x
Routine electrocardiogram (ecg) using at least 12 leads with interpretation and report only$91.92$10.518.7x2.05x
Rotary wing air mileage, per statute mile$377.97$41.229.2x1.06x
Blood test, comprehensive group of blood chemicals$103.18$10.2510.1x1.68x
New patient office or other outpatient visit with moderate level of medical decision making, if using time, 45 minutes or more$589.50$191.503.1x1.44x
New patient office or other outpatient visit with low level of medical decision making, if using time, 30 minutes or more$357.37$122.542.9x1.34x
Complete blood cell count (red cells, white blood cell, platelets), automated test and automated differential white blood cell count$59.60$7.567.9x1.61x
Emergency department visit with high level of medical decision making$1,393.51$224.526.2x1.13x
X-ray of chest, 1 view$61.91$10.575.9x1.18x
Administration of influenza virus vaccine$44.74$31.081.4x1.10x
Destruction of precancer skin growth, 2-14 growths$28.09$7.123.9x1.28x
Established patient office or other outpatient visit with straightforward medical decision making, if using time, 10 minutes or more$155.66$58.872.6x1.32x
Admn sarscov2 vacc 1 dose$55.71$41.461.3x1.10x
Pathology examination of tissue using a microscope, intermediate complexity$271.33$45.576.0x1.46x
Psychotherapy, 1 hour$295.68$164.301.8x1.41x
Imaging of retina$215.79$46.574.6x1.74x
Hemoglobin a1c level$84.43$9.409.0x1.45x
Ct guidance for insertion of radiation therapy fields$913.13$77.1611.8x3.01x
Initial hospital care with moderate level of medical decision making, if using time, at least 75 minutes$1,064.46$216.684.9x1.87x
X-ray of chest, 2 views$107.33$19.065.6x1.49x
Emergency department visit with moderate level of medical decision making$971.11$151.886.4x1.23x
Screening mammography$490.96$82.176.0x1.98x
Screening 3d breast mammography$155.56$35.984.3x1.12x
Injection of drug or substance under skin or into muscle$95.65$16.086.0x1.73x
Routine electrocardiogram (ecg) using at least 12 leads with interpretation and report$157.26$16.629.5x2.28x
Ultrasound of heart with color-depicted blood flow, rate, direction and valve function$1,288.64$139.189.3x2.71x

The last column compares this state against the national average for the same code. Above 1.00 means providers here billed more.

Source: CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners, by Geography and Service. Weighted by service volume across places of service.

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