An article in today's (August 28th) Wall Street Journal takes Carilion to task for the cost of healthcare in the Roanoke Valley.
The article cites Carilion's leverage for part of the reason why insurance rates in Roanoke have gone from being the cheapest in the state, to the most expensive.
The WSJ article cites costs for procedures such as a colonoscopy. The articel notes Carilion charges $4,727 for one, ranking between four to ten times more than what a local endoscopy center charges for a colonoscopy.
Local construction business owner Sam Lionberger is quoted in the article as saying, "It's a one-market town here in terms of health care... Carilion has the leverage."
Carilion responds in the article by citing competition from Lewis-Gale Medical Center in Salem. Also in the article, Carilion justified charging more for certain procedures because it has to "subsidize operations such as an emergency department and treatment for the uninsured."
The WSJ article quotes Carilion CEO Dr. Edward Murphy as saying the high cost of health care in Roanoke reflects the overall national increase in healthcare costs, being driven by people using medical services more than they need to.
The article also goes on to cite Roanoke City General District Courts setting aside one morning per week for cases filed by Carilion. Many of the cases are to collect money owed by patients for medical bills.
Read the complete article by clicking here (The WSJ online requires a free subscription sign-up)
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