Average annual medical costs in central Arkansas
Healthcare spending totaled nearly $4.8 billion in 2021 across Faulkner, Lonoke, Pulaski and Saline counties. County-by-county, spending ranged from $460 million in Ronoke County to $2.7 billion in Pulaski County, the most populous in the state.
Expense calculations available on the dashboard allow users to better understand the average yearly (i.e. full year estimates when full year data is unavailable) per person expenditures, regardless of population size. Statewide, the average annual spending per health care expenditure was $9,277 in 2021. At the county level, average annual spending averaged $7,412 in northwestern Washington, northwestern Arkansas, to a high of $13,632 in Bradley County, southeast Arkansas. However, in the four Central Arkansas counties highlighted here, the average average spending was close to the statewide average.
Of the four counties, Pulaski had the lowest average average annual medical costs in 2021 at $9,364, while Ronoke had the second lowest at $9,422. The average annual medical costs in saline and Faulkner County were very close, at $9,827 and $9,831, respectively. These expenditure levels mean that counties in central Arkansas were between the previously highlighted below average spending in four Northwest Arkansas states and above average spending found in four Southeast Arkansas counties.
Registration and spending for Medicare and Medicare Advantage in Central Arkansas
Introduced in 1997 as an alternative to traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage has seen an increase in adoption by a population eligible for Medicaid over the years. By 2021, 31% of the Medicare-eligible population in Faulkner, Lonoke, Pulaski and Saline counties were enrolled in the Medicare Advantage Plan. Saline County had the highest adoption of these plans, with 37% of the Medicare-qualified population enrolled, while Faulkner County was the lowest adoption at 26%.
In 2021, average annual medical costs were consistently higher for traditional Medicare enrollees than Medicare Advantage enrollees in all four Central Arkansas County.
In Faulkner County, Medicare Advantage enrollees average annual medical expenses were $4,612 less than the average spend for Medicare enrollees in the county. In Ronoke County, Medicare Advantage enrollees average annual medical expenses were $6,932 less than the average spend for Medicare enrollees in the county. In Pulaski County, the average annual medical expenses for Medicare Advantage enrollees was $5,280 less than the average spend for Medicare enrollees in the county. In Saline County, Medicare Advantage enrollees average annual medical expenses were $7,826 less than the average spend for county Medicare enrollees.
Of the four counties, saline not only had the highest adoption of Medicare Advantage plans, but also the largest difference in average annual medical costs between traditional Medicare enrollees and Medicare Advantage plans enrollees. Medical expenses for patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage in the county were 42% less than those enrolled in traditional Medicare.
All payer types included in the dashboard (commercial, traditional Medicaid, Medicaid QHPS, Medicare and Medicare dominance) were the highest total spending in four counties, accounting for 33% of payments, or $1.6 billion, for healthcare in 2021.
Medicaid Extensive Registration and Expenses in Central Arkansas
Medicaid QHP covers most of the state's expanded Medicaid population. In four Central Arkansas Counties, Medicaid QHP covers 72,224 low-income adults, accounting for 13% of the target audience in 2021. Medical expenses for Medicaid QHP patients in these counties totaled $475 million.
The release of the Arkansas Healthcare Expense Dashboard in November 2024 shows for the first time that data on state healthcare expenditures has become available at this level in an accessible and interactive way. You can use the dashboard to ask a wide range of questions about medical costs in Arkansas.
