Average charge for COVID-19 hospitalization, by state

By Alia Paavola for Becker’s Hospital Review

The cost of a complex and noncomplex COVID-19 hospitalization in each state varies, according to a new interactive map from Fair Health, an independent nonprofit focused on enhancing price transparency in healthcare.

To determine the average cost of both a complex and noncomplex COVID-19 hospitalization across states, Fair Health used its most recent FH Total Treatment Cost COVID-19 benchmarks, which were determined from its database of millions of billed medical claims across the U.S.

For the cost breakdown, Fair Health defined a complex COVID-19 hospitalization as one in which a patient is admitted to the hospital and required ventilation or admission to the intensive care unit. The total charge includes ICU costs, ventilator costs and costs for room and board of increased complexity. In comparison, a noncomplex COVID-19 hospitalization is one in which a patient is admitted to the hospital but does not require ventilation or admission to the ICU. This includes charges such as room and board, laboratory testing, imaging and IVs.

The state with the highest average charge for a complex COVID-19 hospitalization is Nevada, at $472,213. The lowest is in Maryland, where facilities charge an average of $131,965.

Here is the average charge for a complex COVID-19 hospitalization and noncomplex COVID-19 hospitalization in each state:

Alabama
Complex: $279,604
Noncomplex: $51,511

Alaska
Complex: $417,208
Noncomplex: $108,870

Arizona
Complex: $361,540
Noncomplex: $95,966

Arkansas
Complex: $242,358
Not complex: $42,568

California
Complex: $461,780
Noncomplex: $111,213

Colorado
Complex: $350,456
Noncomplex: $72,068

Connecticut
Complex: $239,251
Noncomplex: $55,660

Delaware
Complex: $272,929
Noncomplex: $43,767

District of Columbia
Complex: $277,806
Noncomplex: $44,433

Florida
Complex: $355,450
Noncomplex: $67,620

Georgia
Complex: $292,931
Noncomplex: $61,254

Hawaii
Complex: $245,665
Noncomplex: $67,393

Idaho
Complex: $303,873
Noncomplex: $95,584

Illinois
Complex: $277,078
Noncomplex: $54,574

Indiana
Complex: $242,582
Noncomplex: $41,064

Iowa
Complex: $278,396
Noncomplex: $51,641

Kansas
Complex: $308,910
Noncomplex: $53,269

Kentucky
Complex: $246,423
Noncomplex: $43,244

Louisiana
Complex: $274,374
Noncomplex: $42,681

Maine
Complex: $302,704
Noncomplex: $71,036

Maryland
Complex: $131,965
Noncomplex: $31,339

Massachusetts
Complex: $209,209
Noncomplex: $62,894

Michigan
Complex: $207,926
Noncomplex: $35,082

Minnesota
Complex: $262,910
Noncomplex: $44,631

Mississippi
Complex: $301,713
Noncomplex: $73,901

Missouri
Complex: $275,719
Noncomplex: $53,514

Montana
Complex: $220,851
Noncomplex: $97,905

Nebraska
Complex: $253,189
Noncomplex: $58,798

Nevada
Complex: $472,213
Noncomplex: $102,115

New Hampshire
Complex: $256,069
Noncomplex: $62,621

New Jersey
Complex: $377,198
Noncomplex: $87,301

New Mexico
Complex: $272,593
Noncomplex: $98,336

New York
Complex: $272,746
Noncomplex: $72,163

North Carolina
Complex: $234,988
Noncomplex: $44,977

North Dakota 
Complex: $210,995
Noncomplex: $41,695

Ohio
Complex: $255,776
Noncomplex: $41,605

Oklahoma
Complex: $373,128
Noncomplex: $59,413

Oregon
Complex: $261,022
Noncomplex: $82,907

Pennsylvania
Complex: $373,506
Noncomplex: $77,844

Rhode Island
Complex: $242,162
Noncomplex: $72,971

South Carolina
Complex: $302,258
Noncomplex: $75,381

South Dakota
Complex: $266,635
Noncomplex: $45,100

Tennessee
Complex: $292,556
Noncomplex: $58,281

Texas
Complex: $378,052
Noncomplex: $63,647

Utah
Complex: $261,593
Noncomplex: $96,611

Vermont
Complex: $253,036
Noncomplex: $70,792

Virginia
Complex: $279,741
Noncomplex: $46,183

Washington
Complex: $334,224
Noncomplex: $80,336

West Virginia
Complex: $216,126
Noncomplex: $43,311

Wisconsin
Complex: $269,412
Noncomplex: $53,268

Wyoming
Complex: $353,623
Noncomplex: $102,772