Three Consecutive Years with Zero Price Increase — Benefit to Patients & Economy

Healthcare costs continue to rise around the State and across the nation, yet here at home, Southwest Health of Platteville is holding prices in check with a zero percent increase for the third consecutive year. While the local health system’s unprecedented growth in services, employment, and community impact helps fuel the local economy, the not-for-profit’s volunteer Board of Directors has chosen to hold the line on prices to further benefit its patients and area communities.

Hospitals and health systems review prices annually, and they traditionally increase rates each year to cover rising costs. According to the Wisconsin Hospital Association, the average hospital price increases across the State, for each of the last three years are 4.36, 4.64 and 4.85 percent.

But at southwest Wisconsin’s fast growing health care system—Southwest Health in Platteville—the story is decidedly different. Despite not increasing prices for three years straight, the organization is performing stronger than ever financially due to a remarkable 69% growth in net revenue over the past three years, much of it through expansion and acquisition activity. As a result, the Southwest Health volunteer Board of Directors has chosen to reward its patients for their loyalty by keeping health care prices in check.

“Families in today’s economy are working harder than ever, and yet many still struggle with paying the bills,” says Chief Executive Officer Dan Rohrbach. “We’re working diligently on their behalf to keep costs down. We see our incredible growth as an opportunity to give back to our communities by keeping our patients’ out-of-pocket expenses from rising.”

Rohrbach continues, “We realize we are a major economic engine for southwest Wisconsin. Our goals include boosting the area’s economy by expanding jobs as well as by keeping more healthcare right here in southwest Wisconsin. Doing so also eliminates many trips area residents would be forced to make to larger cities for care. Keeping our prices down helps achieve that goal, and we all stand to benefit. Making such a positive economic impact on our region without raising prices is something our area communities can be very proud of.”

Wisconsin law requires hospitals to publish changes in gross revenue related to price increases when the increases outpace inflation.  This information is public record and available on the Wisconsin Hospital Association website.  For more information about hospital price increases, visit http://www.whainfocenter.com/consumers/hospital-rate-increases.

Southwest Health is a high performing regional health care network, providing high quality personal patient care. They are southwest Wisconsin’s second largest employer and a major contributor to the regional economy. On their hospital campus in Platteville, the organization provides a full range of quality acute care services, including medical and surgical care, emergency and urgent care, orthopedics, women’s health, specialists clinics, a complete eye care center, a retail pharmacy, mental health services, and the area’s largest family medical clinic. Also in Platteville, they operate a separate inpatient behavioral health facility. In Cuba City, their Epione Pavilion offers long-term skilled nursing care, outpatient rehabilitation, memory care, and family medical care clinic all under one roof. For more information visit southwesthealth.org.