Long Island hospitals charge starkly different prices for the same procedure

The government revealed this week how much hospitals charge for services at medical facilities around the country. The list of prices varied greatly in some cases from hospital to hospital -- even those in the same community.

On Long Island, for example, the government found that the charges for heart attack treatment at Peconic Bay Medical Center were $23,604.68, whereas treatment for the same condition at Long Island Jewish Medical Center would cost $89,998.70.

Similarly, the charges for kidney and urinary tract infections are listed as $55,307.15 at North Shore University Hospital, compared to $26,640.85 at Nassau University Medical Center. 

In a new database available on newsday.com, we take a look at the disparity in costs for treatment for the following four conditions (definitions are as according to the National Institutes of Health):

Newsday's database compares pricing for the above conditions at hospitals located on Long Island. The full list from the government is available at: http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/Medicare-Provider-Charge-Data/index.html

What do you think about the difference in health care prices across Long Island? Check the database at newsday.com/hospitalcharges and let us know your thoughts in the comments, below.