CHIA PUBLISHES TOTAL MEDICAL SPENDING TRENDS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITIES

DATE: February 26, 2026

CHIA has released its latest report examining how medical spending varies across Massachusetts communities, and the relationship between certain spending categories and community characteristics.

Health care spending trends are driven by the volume and types of services utilized as well as the prices of those services. Variation in community medical spending may be influenced by several related factors, including individual health status, proximity of provider networks, provider price differences, and differences in insurance coverage and affordability. Geographic variation in medical spending patterns may also be attributed to social and economic risk factors, which can impact access to care.

This report includes 2023 data on demographics by community as well as the relationship between these community characteristics and total medical expenses (TME) by insurance population and across TME service categories. Data is presented at the community level by municipality and ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA).

Key Findings:

• Average monthly medical spending per person—specifically the amount spent on care provided by primary care and specialty doctors—was higher in communities with higher median family incomes.

• The monthly per-person medical and physician spending tended to be lower in communities where there was a higher concentration of residents who:
  
  
• Do not speak English well
• Have less than a high school education
• Are between 18 and 64 years old
• Are not U.S. citizens
• Identify as Hispanic or Latino

To see more information on medical spending in Massachusetts, including this report’s executive summary and interactive dashboard, go to CHIA’s Community TME page.