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Price of becoming healthy Report shows gap in pricing among hospitals providing similar services By FELIX SARVER
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fsarver@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – Imagine a patient comes to a hospital sick, is diagnosed with appendicitis and needs the infected organ removed before it bursts. The patient qualifies for Medicare, so the hospital performing the appendectomy procedure will be reimbursed. But depending on how the patient responds to the procedure and how the hospital documents those treatments,
Go to Daily-Chronicle.com to see a table of the most expensive procedures at local hospitals. what they charge and what Medicare pays can differ from facility to facility. These and other factors are some of the many reasons why paying for hospital services is not like buying milk at the store, said Kevin Poorten, CEO of KishHealth System. The dif-
fering prices for medical treatments in areas such as Aurora, DeKalb and Rockford have some experts and hospital officials urging for a more consumer-driven health care system. Last month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released data from 2011 on hospital charges and Medicare payments for more than 100 procedures. The data showed significant differences in the average covered charges for the same services offered by hospitals across the nation.
That holds true for hospitals in the region. For instance, the average covered charge for 19 patient discharges receiving treatment for respiratory infections and inflammations with complications for Kishwaukee Community Hospital was $40,017, of which Medicare paid 21.8 percent of those charges. Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora charged, on average, $56,516 for 16 patient discharges, with Medicare paying 17.3 percent of those charges.
Average hospital pricing for pneumonia, pleurisy • Rush-Copley Medical Center, Aurora Number of patients: 41 What the hospital charges: $28,590 What Medicare pays the hospital: $5,287 • Delnor Hospital, Geneva Number of patients: 58 What the hospital charges: $23,678 What Medicare pays the hospital: $4,120 • SwedishAmerican Hospital, Rockford Number of patients: 47 What the hospital charges: $20,031 What Medicare pays the hospital: $4,657 • Kishwaukee Community Hospital, DeKalb Number of patients: 30 What the hospital charges:$17,583 What Medicare pays the hospital: $4,138
Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
See HOSPITALS, page A6
Going extra miles to fight cancer
Reformist takes early margin in Iran election The ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Cure,” hung over the starting line. Survivor Mary Rehak said she felt blessed to have cancer. “I know that’s funny to say or some of you might think,” Rehak said. “Not me.” Since she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February, she’s learned how good the community and medical care are in DeKalb County.
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran’s reformist-backed presidential candidate surged to a wide lead in early vote counting today, a top official said, suggesting a flurry of late support could have swayed a race that once appeared solidly in the hands of Tehran’s ruling clerics. But the strong margin for former nuclear negotiator Hasan Rowhani was not yet enough to give him an outright victory and avoid a two-person runoff next Friday. Rowhani had 46.6 percent of the more than 861,000 votes tallied, said Iran’s interior minister, Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, well ahead of Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf with about 14.6 percent. Hardline nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili Hasan was slightly behind Rowhani in third. It was unclear when the final count would be known. Iran has more than 50 million eligible voters, and turnout in Friday’s election was believed to be high. Many reform-minded Iranians who have faced years of crackdowns looked to Rowhani’s rising fortunes as a chance to claw back a bit of ground. While Iran’s presidential elections offer a window into the political pecking orders and security grip inside the country – particularly since the chaos from a disputed outcome in 2009 – they lack the drama of truly high stakes as the country’s ruling clerics and their military guardians remain the ultimate powers. Election officials began the ballot count after voters waited in line for hours in wilting heat at some polling stations in downtown Tehran and other cities, while others cast ballots across the vast country from desert outposts to Gulf seaports and nomad pastures.
See RELAY, page A7
See ELECTION, page A7
Monica Maschak – mmaschak@shawmedia.com
Cancer survivor Raegan Mann, 6, of DeKalb decides what candy she wants Friday during the 17th annual Relay For Life of DeKalb County at Sycamore High School. Raegan has been in remission from ganglioneuroblastoma for three years. Survivors, caregivers and supporters walked and raised money from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. today. Go to Daily-Chronicle.com to check out a photo gallery of the events from Relay for Life of DeKalb County.
Relay For Life of DeKalb County raises more than $60K By FELIX SARVER fsarver@shawmedia.com SYCAMORE – Landon Cooper held up a pair of Hoka shoes at the Relay For Life opening ceremony. The size 10 shoes still had mud on them from Nebraska. He wore them while running through several states to raise money to cure sarcoma cancer. The shoes alone have raised about $30,000 for cancer research, he said.
Cooper and his Miles 2 Give team have been traveling on foot from the Pacific Ocean and made a stop at Sycamore to say hello to survivors of cancer and donate to Relay For Life. He auctioned his shoes, along with several other items. “Our goal is the same as yours: $100,000,” Cooper said. Cooper was one of many participants who came to Relay For Life at Sycamore High School on Friday to support survivors, raise money and
have a good time. The event, which has been held in the county for 17 years, is hosted by Relay For Life of DeKalb County and the American Cancer Society. More than 330 participants registered and raised more than $62,000 Friday evening. Participants who came walked laps around the school’s track to show their determination to fight cancer and care for those who have been affected by it. A sign that read, “There Is No Finish Until We Have
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