As many states consider revising hospital fee regulations, this new study compares hospital outpatient payments across 36 states and examines the impact of fee schedule reforms from 2005 to 2023. It also includes a benchmark comparing workers’ compensation hospital outpatient payments with Medicare rates and tracks the effects of recent policy changes.

The report captures payments for services provided and billed directly by hospitals, such as outpatient surgeries. It excludes professional services billed by nonhospital providers (e.g., physicians, physical therapists, and chiropractors), as well as payments for pharmaceuticals, durable medical equipment, and services at ambulatory surgery centers.

States included in the study: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Hospital Outpatient Payment Index: Interstate Variations and Policy Analysis, 14th Edition. Olesya Fomenko and Rebecca Yang. May 2025. WC-25-24.

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