U.S. Cities Spending The Most On Health Care: Bundle.com

In a country with a seemingly endless rise in medical costs, figuring out why certain cities are particularly prone to spending more on health care can be a complicated task, to say the least.

Indeed, according to personal finance and business site bundle.com, the amount spent on health care continues to vary widely by city. Just take Medicare, where spending between cities can differ by as much as $10,000 per person.

To find which cities spent the most and least on health care, bundle.com looked at America's 100 most populous cities and compiled data from Kaiser Family Health Foundation and The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care. Its findings -- seen in this infographic -- show that more health care spending doesn't necessarily result in better access. Washington D.C., for example, has only the third highest cost per patient, despite boasting the most hospital beds, the most doctors and the most registered nurses in the country.

Urban centers generally offer better medical services than rural areas, and often that means they can be more expensive, too. Per capita Medicare costs are highest in major cities like Los Angeles ($11,303), New York ($12,714) and Miami ($17,274), according to Reuters. A recent paper from the United Health Center for Health & Reform Modernization found that there are only 65 primary care physicians per 100,000 rural Americans, compared to 105 per 100,000 urban and suburban citizens. For a breakdown of health care costs by state, take a look at this bundle.com infographic.

In the coming years, though, healthcare costs are expected to go up across the board. Due to an aging population and the increasing costs of medical innovations, the nation will spend an estimated $4.6 trillion, or $13,710 per person on health care by 2020, compared to a projected $2.7 trillion or $8,650 per person this year.

Here are the 10 most expensive cites for health care, according to bundle.com.

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The Most Expensive Cities For Health Care

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See the full resolution infographic by Valerie Willis at bundle.com.

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See the full resolution infographic by Valerie Willis at bundle.com.

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Comments

[wilray]

03:09 PM on 08/02/2011

We're paying more and getting less - American ingenuity at work.

[moutonnoir]

06:50 AM on 08/07/2011

if we dont pay more and get less, the 'job creators' will punish us!

[gil87i]

01:02 PM on 08/02/2011

The money spends for Health Care is more than twice than any developed Country,but
61% of the money is used for non patient care.

[Dan Vasquez]

10:44 PM on 08/01/2011

The 2 TX cites lead the group in % of people who don't seek medical attention b/c of cost at 18.8%. These guys are getting screwed because TX is a state known for its deregulation.

[Dan Vasquez]

10:34 PM on 08/01/2011

You get what you pay for, I was surprised to see 2 cities from TX, I wonder what the health care laws are like in TX?

[rtx47]

10:30 PM on 08/01/2011

I was shocked to see Boston as the fifth most expensive city in the country for healthcare.

Dr. Atul Gawande from Boston travels the whole country lecturing on providing cost-effective healthcare. Perhaps he needs to stay at home and lecture in his own backyard.

[Crettis]

12:36 PM on 08/02/2011

Take a look at the % of people that don't get healthcare in Boston because of cost though. Its what 6%. The healthcare here may be expensive but people can afford it. Plus we have a state run option that makes it affordable for people who cant afford some of the private insurance.
So I would say he has a good idea what he is talking about.

[Beverly Kidwell]

10:27 PM on 08/01/2011

Doesn't anyone think they waited a little late to start on this bring down the debt situation? Could it be deliberate? Could it be poltical? Oh No, not our Government!

[Beverly Kidwell]

10:24 PM on 08/01/2011

I seem to remember when the candidates were running for President last time, it was mentioned that every American should have the choice of insurance that Congress has. Sorry some of us are older and not rich enough to pay for medical care to live. It of course means nothing that the American people paid into Medicare and Social Security, which during the run for president it was referred to as the Taxpayers money. I see some pretty old people in Congress but of course they don't have to depend on Medicare or Social Security, the Taxpayers take care of them unless they married a rich woman or came from a rich family. Poor time to bring this subject up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[WireDolly]

12:03 PM on 08/02/2011

McCain married the banker and his career, lol! He don't have to worry 'bout nothin'.

[Susan Flanary Johnston]

06:31 PM on 08/01/2011

i thought there was a separation between church and state. why are they tax exempt?!

[SBleeder]

02:40 PM on 08/02/2011

Because taxing a church doesn't exactly foster separation, does it?

[skraeling]

05:34 PM on 08/02/2011

actually, it does...it incorporates them into the society at large and responsible for the society they profess to serve....there should be no religious exemption exemption for anything but the actual church building, a school, and hospital.....that is it...

[jedwightn]

05:26 PM on 08/01/2011

If Medicare wouldn't try to keep everybody alive another 60 days at all costs and would crack down on excessive testing by doctor-owned clinics maybe medical costs could be reduced.

[Pete Wood]

12:55 PM on 08/02/2011

medicare costs would be reduced if it was not given to people who do not earn it

[scorpio49]

01:04 PM on 08/02/2011

health care costs would decrease drastically if insurance companies could be removed from the equation.

[Flowymac]

06:00 PM on 08/06/2011

Like who??? just curious

[Beverly Kidwell]

02:18 PM on 08/02/2011

Well I hope you or a family member doesn't become ill and possibly could survive and they pull the plug! That is the dumbest most ignorant thing I have ever heard.Who are you the Devil's brother?

[skraeling]

05:36 PM on 08/02/2011

Let nature take its course. Why continue to make someone on life support that will never recover suffer the way nature, or God, if that is what you want to label it, intended?

[behindEnemyLines]

04:54 PM on 08/01/2011

Wait Mass? I thought Rmoneycare was keeping heathcare cost low? Seeing that Obamacare is similar to Romenycare I guess we can look forward to even higher cost in HC....

[Crettis]

12:40 PM on 08/02/2011

Another person missing the point. Yea its expensive to fund, but it lets people have access to healthcare, which in Boston is probably some of the best in country, who normally couldn't. A few years ago I want making as much as I am now and enrolled in Mass Health, and you know what I could afford health care all of a sudden. And its also some of the best in the nation? Well what do you know, it works. Get some facts before you bash a system you know nothing about. Ill have you know now I have a much better job and am contributing my tax dollars back to that Mass Health system and am glad to do it. So that someone who isnt as fortunate as me with private healthcare can get themselves taken care of.

[behindEnemyLines]

12:47 PM on 08/02/2011

Actually it is you missing the point. Romneycare and Obamcare were sold as a way of controlling HC cost and lowering the overall cost of Healthcare. It's supposed to save the entity paying the cost money, whether it is the state or the individual. This article show that is just not true. Even with Romneycare Mass has the 5th highest HC cost in the country. You would think HC cost in Mass would be among the lowest if you listen to those who try to sell you on the idea of Romney care and Obamacare.

[ltgdir]

03:25 PM on 08/01/2011

One of the biggest costs to our public healthcare system is the overwhelming number of crime guns on the streets. It's time to tell the NRA to go back to keeping score on turkey shoots and get out of the business of politics and protecting the economic interests of the gun industry. Our tax money is paying for the consequences of the recklessness endangerment of our communities by gun makers who don't want to stop selling to the criminal market. As a result, gun victims, many of them innocent bystanders, are winding up in the public hospital systems with millions of dollars of treatment that would be completely avoidable if we were to enact some serious preventative measures to keep guns out of the hands of criminals in the first place. We can legally regulate and control gun sales and possession in this country. SCOTUS affirmed that in the Heller and MacDonald decisions. Now, all we have to do is find some legislators with some backbone to stand up to the purveyors of death and destruction. Want to significantly reduce healthcare costs? Reduce illegal gun ownership in the criminal community. It's that easy. Too bad the NRA and its minions are fighting any such legislation tooth and nail because it means a loss of profits to their precious industry. Well, this gun violence victim doesn't think that makes much difference when lives are at stake.

[sundanzron]

09:37 PM on 08/01/2011

guns don't kill people..people kill people

[Beverly Kidwell]

02:25 PM on 08/02/2011

TRUE, TRUE, TRUE. If someone breaks into your house what are you going to defend yourself with a boquet of flowers?

[rtx47]

10:32 PM on 08/01/2011

Guns are not the reason cost of healthcare for Medicare patients (enrolee) are high and even higher in East Coast States.

[KriTiKiT]

03:07 PM on 08/01/2011

OMG I was Born in that Hospital in Corpus Christi.

[Beverly Kidwell]

02:30 PM on 08/02/2011

To those who are against Health Care, stay away from Doctors and Hospitals. Just let yourself die. No need for drug companies either. They will love that. If you are against Medicare and Medicaid, no one over 65, including the President or the Congress should have any insurance paid for by the taxpayers. Tell Congressman Gifford they should have let her die not wasted all that money to save her. I question the mentality of some of you people. Bet you are the first to run to the emergency room if you have chest pains.God help you all if you get old or become ill.

[SBleeder]

02:53 PM on 08/02/2011

I have money.

[KriTiKiT]

04:23 PM on 08/02/2011

I said i was born in the hospital pictured I never said I was against HC.

[Arthur L]

03:06 PM on 08/01/2011

many of the places with the highest supply of medical services have the highest prices. the supply/demand dynamics in the medical business are screwed up. the free market reform ideas are suspect to fix the problems.

[martiniandabotoxchaser]

03:00 PM on 08/01/2011

What runs up health care cost....an aging population, populations with poor access to health care (so they come in when things are really bad and expensive), and places where the cost of doing business and living is expensive...no big surprises.

[Silverwolf72]

03:17 PM on 08/01/2011

Don't forget pollution

[skraeling]

05:47 PM on 08/02/2011

and poor food choices and tv, and watching sport events rather than participating and the auto.....

[Bushido08]

02:33 PM on 08/01/2011

Hmm..what was that old saying "you can't avoid death and taxes"? Guess you can add "you can't avoid death, taxes and the high cost of medical"!!

[skraeling]

05:48 PM on 08/02/2011

just by living in most of America you can beat the high cost of medicine..cause you won't get it...