St. Charles announces rate increase

St. Charles Medical Center has announced an average rate increase of 3 percent to take effect January 1.

According to SCMC spokesman Todd Sprague, the rate adjustment is comparable to the anticipated rise in the 1998 Consumer Price Index.

The basic hospital room rate will rise from $515 to $530 per day.

"Based on the most recent figures we have from the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems," Sprague said, "our charges are nearly 20 percent below state averages and as much as 31 percent below some of the Portland hospitals. Even with this small increase, we expect our charges will still be well below most comparable hospitals in the state."