What does this measure?

Total Medical Expenses (TME) measures all spending on medical care paid to health care providers, per patient per month.

Why is this important?

Medical spending is a major component of total health care spending, which is a growing part of the national and local economy. This fuels increased employment in this sector but can also crowd out spending for other priorities, from education to infrastructure to the environment.

How is our county doing?

Medical spending in Essex was $524 per member, per month in 2017, slightly higher than 2016 and below a statewide medical spending of $610.

Spending levels were highest in the towns of Boxford ($1,056), Hamilton ($931) and Danvers ($840) and lowest in the towns of Essex ($439) and Wenham ($449) and the City of Lawrence ($366).

How do we compare to similar counties?

Medical spending in Essex was lower than Middlesex County ($627 per member per month). Comparable data was not available for Lake, IL and Westchester, NY.

Notes about the data

Figures are in constant 2017 dollars. Earlier and later years were not available. Data is collected from commercial and public payers for commercial full claims, commercial partial claims, Medicaid and Commonwealth Care Managed Care Organizations (MCO), and Medicare Advantage health insurance categories.