States with the highest and lowest COPD readmission rates

In 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began implementing a number of value-based purchasing programs aimed at improving healthcare quality and reducing costs. One of these programs, called the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), penalizes hospitals with excess readmission rates for patients with certain conditions like acute myocardial infarction (AMI), pneumonia, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic condition that affects the lungs and creates breathing difficulties. This term encompasses a range of progressive lung diseases, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. The most common causes of COPD are tobacco smoking and second-hand smoke inhalation, though genetic factors also play a role in COPD development.

By analyzing COPD statistics from the Definitive Healthcare HospitalView product, we’ve compiled lists of the 10 states with the highest and lowest 30-day readmission rates for COPD.

Top 10 states with the highest COPD readmission rates

Fig 1 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare HospitalView product and sourced from results published by CMS. Accessed April 2025.

Which states have the highest COPD readmissions?

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Washington D.C. report the highest COPD readmission rates of all 50 states and federal districts. Each also have some of the highest average hospital readmission rates by state in the country. Due to the size of some of the hospitals in these areas, it is likely that facilities in these areas would attract greater volumes of COPD patients than other hospitals, and that some of these patients would present with more complex cases of COPD.

Patients with complex chronic conditions like COPD are more likely to experience complications that might require hospitalization. Because of this, hospitals treating greater volumes of complex patients would understandably report higher readmission rates—even if those facilities deliver the best possible care.

Top 10 states with the lowest COPD readmission rates

Fig 2 Data is from the Definitive Healthcare HospitalView product and sourced from results published by CMS. Accessed April 2025.

Which states have the lowest COPD readmissions?

Idaho, Delaware, and Wyoming have the lowest reported 30-day readmission rates for COPD of all 50 states. These states have a lower COPD prevalence among U.S. adults aged less than 18 years old compared to the national average. Delaware and Idaho also have some of the lowest readmission rates in the county and have relatively small populations. With this combination of factors, patients could face lower odds of 30-day readmission to a care facility.

Learn more

Need more information on patient diagnoses or hospital quality metrics? Read our blog on hospital quality performance, explore the most common diagnoses made by pulmonologists, or schedule a demo to see how healthcare commercial intelligence from Definitive Healthcare helps better segment the healthcare market.