Dive Brief:
- Average inflation-adjusted hospital costs for all discharges combined grew by 2% annually from 2003 to 2011, while total hospital discharges and average length of stay remained relatively stable over the period, according to a new study by HHS's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study was released July 16.
- Projections indicate the trends will continue, AHRQ said.
- Average hospital costs (in 2013 dollars) increased from $9,100 in 2003 to $10,600 in 2011, and they are projected to be $11,000 in 2013, AHRQ said. Total hospital discharges remained relatively stable at 37 to 38 million discharges per year. Average length of a hospital stay remained relatively stable at 4.7 to 4.8 days, and it is projected to dip slightly to 4.6 days in 2013.
Dive Insight:
There are always exceptions to general trends. AHRQ noted that across five types of hospital service lines, average hospital costs grew by more than 2% annually for surgical, injury, and maternal and neonatal hospitalizations. The federal agency also noted that average length of stay decreased slightly for all hospital service lines except maternal and neonatal, which experienced slight growth.
Most costly hospital stays? Surgery and injury stays, projected at $22,500 and $15,100, respectively, in 2013. Of course these are data weighted to a national level. Local costs may vary.