Hospital Rate Hikes Approved

{Charleston, West Virginia}…The West Virginia Health Care Authority says patients at several West Virginia hospitals who pay out of pocket or with commercial insurance will see their bills rise next year. The authority approved rate increases last month for 10 state hospitals. The largest rate increases for inpatient care were 6.75 percent for Thomas Memorial in South Charleston and 7.48 percent for Jackson General Hospital in Ripley. The average cost of a stay at Thomas Memorial will increase for nongovernmental patients to $16,413.63 for the fiscal year 2012, while the average cost of a stay at Jackson General Hospital will increase to $14,346.20.