As many states consider revising hospital fee regulations, this new report benchmarks hospital outpatient payments related to surgeries in 36 states, covering 88 percent of U.S. workers’ compensation benefits. It also compares workers’ compensation payments with Medicare rates and examines the impact of major fee regulation changes from 2005 to 2024.

The report captures payments for services provided and billed directly by hospitals, such as facility services, operating room, etc. It excludes professional services billed by nonhospital providers, including physicians, physical therapists, and chiropractors, as well as payments for pharmaceuticals and durable medical equipment billed by nonhospital providers. It also excludes services at ambulatory surgery centers.

States included in the study are 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, 2026 Edition. Olesya Fomenko and Rebecca Yang. May 2026. WC-26-20.

Video: