Wisconsin Health Information Organization: Identifies the financial impact of COVID-19

September 29, 2021 – The Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO) compiled information to provide a first-ever snapshot of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on Wisconsin’s healthcare and progress towards recovery.

The WHIO analyzed data related to preventive services, chronic diseases, mental health, and insurance from the past two years and isolated treatment variations related to COVID-19. The result, reported in the latest WHIO InfoByte publication, calculated the total cost of hospital care for patients hospitalized for COVID-19 through August 27, 2021. The estimated cost of care is $522,858,000.

“It is critical to quantify the financial impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is having on Wisconsin,” says WHIO CEO Dana Richardson. “While there are countless direct and indirect costs, this information provides a clear picture of the impact this pandemic has had on health care services in our state.”

The InfoByte further summarizes the increases and decreases in the types of care provided, as well as insurance coverage throughout the pandemic.

See the InfoByte linked here for more information.