The overall costliest hospital stays in 2018 were for septicemia ($41.5 billion), osteoarthritis ($18 billion) and acute myocardial infarction ($14.7 billion). Of the 10 most common principal diagnoses in 2018, septicemia was both the most frequent (2,218,800 stays) and the costliest ($41.5 billion in aggregate). Septicemia ranked as the first or second most common diagnosis among adults, both male and female.
A new Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Statistical Brief presents statistics on the most frequent principal diagnoses among nonmaternal, nonneonatal inpatient stays using the 2018 National Inpatient Sample (NIS). First, the number of stays, mean cost per stay, and aggregate costs are presented for the most frequent principal diagnoses. Second, the distribution of stays for the most common diagnoses by select patient and hospital characteristics is shown. Finally, the top principal diagnoses by sex-age group are identified.
Read more:
- AHRQ, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Statistical Brief #277: Most Frequent Principal Diagnoses for Inpatient Stays in U.S. Hospitals, 2018.