Trauma activation fees have skyrocketed in recent years, according to a Tampa Bay Times report. Nearly 20% of centers charge more than $15,000 for a trauma activation. Hospitals in California and Florida top the list of centers charging the highest trauma fees.
The report is based on records gathered from 267 hospitals in 30 states. Highest honors go to Loma Linda University Medical Center, a Level I trauma center 60 miles east of Los Angeles. The center charges $77,880 for its highest trauma activation, according to the Times report.
“Top-level hospitals often charge thousands less than lower-level centers,” the Times stated. In addition, for-profit centers charge higher average activation fees than non-profit hospitals. Citing data from the Trauma Center Association of America, the report stated that trauma activation fees have increased 15% per year in the last 6 years.
The article includes an interactive map that plots trauma activation fees for more than 260 hospitals across the U.S. Read More