Health Care Trends in
Learn what’s driving health care costs in your area.
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Data highlights & key takeaways
Spending
People in Alaska spent 55% more on health care than the national average.
Cost Burden Index
People in Alaska have a 48% higher cost burden than the national average.
Price Index
Health care services in Alaska cost about 89% more than the national average.
Use Index
People in Alaska tend to use 11% less care than the average American.
Service Mix Index
People in Alaska tend to use less complex services than the average American.
How much do people spend on health care?
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Understanding how local spending compares to the national average is foundational to understanding how the health care system is performing in an area. The metrics presented provide additional detail about the spending index by breaking out spending by service categories and illustrate the potential impact of health spending by quantifying the relative cost burden of these services.
Spending and cost burden in Alaska
Overall spending
Very HighOverall spending
Very HighThe overall spending index shows health care spending per-person with employer-sponsored insurance in a given area compared to the national average. A positive percentage means per-person spending is higher than the national average. A negative percentage means per-person spending is lower than the national average. It reflects spending on all medical services, including Inpatient, Outpatient, and Professional (clinical) services. In addition to overall spending, you can view detailed indices by service category.
The overall spending index shows health care spending per-person with employer-sponsored insurance in a given area compared to the national average. A positive percentage means per-person spending is higher than the national average. A negative percentage means per-person spending is lower than the national average. It reflects spending on all medical services, including Inpatient, Outpatient, and Professional (clinical) services. In addition to overall spending, you can view detailed indices by service category.
There is no evidence that higher health care spending results in better health care outcomes. Spending is influenced by the price of health care services, the quantity of services used, and the types of health care services used.
Cost burden index
Very HighCost burden compares average per-person health care spending in an area to the per-capita income in the same area. The index compares the local cost burden to the national average. It demonstrates the relative affordability of health care spending.
Cost burden compares average per-person health care spending to the per-capita income for people living in an area. An index value above the national average means that people in an area have a higher cost burden (health care spending makes up a higher percentage of per-capita income) compared to the average American. An index below the national average means that people living in an area have a lower cost burden compared to the average American.
What are the drivers of cost?
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Health care spending is influenced by the price of health care services, how many services are used, and the types of services used. The metrics below show how spending is driven by each of the components: price, use, and service mix. The last metric shows the hospital market concentration, or the level of hospital competition in an area. Higher hospital concentration can lead to higher prices.
Key cost drivers in Alaska
Overall price
Very HighOverall price
Very HighThe price index measures how the price of all services compares to the national average.
The price index measures how the price of all services compares to the national average.
Health care prices are influenced by many things, including the competitiveness of a health care market, negotiating power between insurers or employers and health care providers, and where a service is received (e.g. an office or a hospital facility).
Overall use
LowOverall use
LowThe use index measures how the number of services used in a given area compares to the national average.
The use index measures how the number of services used in a given area compares to the national average.
The number of health care services used is one of the factors that affects spending. The type of services used and health care prices are the other factors. A standardized measure of per-person use of services helps us quantify how much of health care spending is driven by use of services. The use of services in an area can be influenced by many things, including the age of the population, the health of a population, and provider practices within the area.
Overall service mix
AverageOverall service mix
AverageThe service mix index measures how the complexity of services used in a given area compares to the national average.
The service mix index measures how the complexity of services used in a given area compares to the national average.
In addition to health prices and the number of services used, health care spending is influenced by the types of services used. Measuring service mix separate from prices and use helps us understand how much of spending is driven by the types of the services being used. The mix of services in an area can be influenced by many things, including the age of the population, the health of a population, and provider practices within the area.