Next, we grouped hospitals together based on their size (small, medium and large) and who operates them (for-profits or non-profits).
We found that size mattered little in how often hospitals claimed complications. Ownership, however, was a big deal. Because the records included the average amount hospitals received for each DRG, we also estimated how much tax money would have been saved if the small, for-profit hospitals had received reimbursement for patients no sicker than patients in their urban, non-profit counterparts. The figure was a whopping $22 million for the four-year period.
Dave Davis can be reached by e-mail at ddavis@plaind.com