Oregonians Outspend National Average on Healthcare Despite Regional Cost Variations

One of the most comprehensive studies on U.S. healthcare spending has found that residents of Clackamas and Deschutes counties spend more than anywhere else in Oregon.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reveals that residents of those two Oregon counties spent an average of $7,900 each on healthcare in 2019, several thousand dollars less than residents living elsewhere in the state.

 

Oregonians Spend Less on Health Care Than the National Average

The study analyzed data from more than 3,000 counties in the U.S. on healthcare expenditure from 2010 to 2019 and found that despite the consistent increase in the cost of healthcare, Oregon spends less per person than the national average dollar amount.

In 2019, Oregon spent $30.3 billion on health care – about $7 billion more than in 2010. Individually, Oregon healthcare expenditure rose by 22% – from $5,888 in 2010 to $7,205 in 2019. The increased outlay was higher than the national growth rate of 16%.

According to researchers, the disparities in health care costs between counties could be linked to health-conscious residents being proactive in seeking medical assistance – highlighted by Clackamas and Deschutes residents spending the most by person on visits to physicians and outpatient services in 2019.

 

Umatilla and Wheeler Counties Spent the Least

At the other end of the spectrum, people living in Umatilla and Wheeler counties spent the least during the same period at $5,959 and $5,4545, respectively.

An interesting fact to emerge from the study was that although Wheeler County is the state’s third poorest, with an annual median household income of $40,926 and is home to one of Oregon’s oldest populations, residents sought medical attention less frequently than any other county in 2019.

On the other end of the scale, residents of Clackamas County spent the most in the state on private insurance and had the highest out-of-pocket expenses per person. Deschutes County was the biggest Medicare spender.

 

Takeaway

The research analyzed payments for 148 health conditions and examined more than 40 billion insurance claims from Medicare, Medicaid, and private health plans. It also researched one billion facility records to produce the most comprehensive healthcare study on U.S. spending.

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