Hunter
06/20/23
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics patients will pay more for services starting next month.
The Gazette reports the state Board of Regents approved a 6% increase across the board in health care services. That’s the highest increase allowed in many contracts with UIHC insurance providers.
As of the end of April, the Hospitals and Clinics have seen a 9.2 percent increase in operating expenses compared to last year.
According to the request from the University, rates at the UIHC are relatively low when comparing them with other peer institutions at the University of Illinois, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, and University of Wisconsin. According to officials at the UI, charges at UIHC are below the 50th percentile of academic medical centers.
The newpaper says a comparison tool produced by the Iowa Hospital Association, however, shows UIHC — the state’s only academic medical center — is more expensive than most in Iowa for many services.
Most patients won’t be directly impacted by the increase because insurance carriers and providers typically absorb the costs, but those who pay out of pocket will pay more starting July 1st. UIHC does have a program to assist patients who pay on a sliding scale based on the federal poverty level.
The medical campus is currently in the midst of over a billion dollars in construction projects on the main campus and a new North Liberty hospital.