Patients paying out-of-pocket or with private insurance in West Virginia can expect to pay a little more at five regional hospitals, which have received all or part of rate increases requested for their nongovernmental patients through the West Virginia Health Care Authority.

Two of the hospitals, the Logan Regional Medical Center and Williamson Memorial Hospital, received their entire requested rate increases from the Health Care Authority. Logan requested a 5 percent increase, from an average charge per discharge of $21,512 to $22,587, and Williamson requested a 4 percent increase, from and average charge per discharge of $11,759 to $12,229.

Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, in Ronceverte, United Hospital Center in Bridgeport and Raleigh General Hospital each received a portion of the rate increase they requested from the Health Care Authority.

Marianne Kapinos, general counsel for the Health Care Authority, told the Gazette in October that many hospitals do not receive their entire request because of penalties against the hospital.

Hospitals can incur penalties for different things: if theyve overspent, if theyve exceeded their revenue limits, different things, she said. If they dont spend the amount of money theyre given, theyre subject to penalties.

Greenbrier, United and Raleigh each exceeded their allowed average rates set for last year by between $1,200 and $1,500 on average, according to the Health Care Authority, so each was penalized with a smaller rate increase for this year.

Greenbrier requested a 7.25 percent rate increase and received a 6.19 percent rate increase; its average charge per discharge will increase from $13,486 to $14,320. United requested a 4 percent rate increase and received a 3.7 percent increase; its average charge per discharge increased from $21,133 to $21,916. Raleigh requested a 5 percent rate increase and received a 4.9 percent increase; its average charge per discharge will increase from $23,333 to $24,476.

Reach Lydia Nuzum at lydia.nuzum@wvgazette.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @lydianuzum on Twitter.

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Five hospitals receive rate increases from Health Care Authority