Cost of Hospitalization for Preterm and Low Birth Weight Infants in the United States

The objective of this study was to estimate national hospital costs for infant admissions that are associated with preterm birth/low birth weight. Infant (35 million hospital discharges nationwide. Hospital costs, based on weighted cost-to-charge ratios, and lengths of stay were calculated for prete...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 2007-07, Vol.120 (1), p.e1-e9
Main Authors: Russell, Rebecca B, Green, Nancy S, Steiner, Claudia A, Meikle, Susan, Howse, Jennifer L, Poschman, Karalee, Dias, Todd, Potetz, Lisa, Davidoff, Michael J, Damus, Karla, Petrini, Joann R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Babies
Birth weight
Health care expenditures
Hospital Costs
Hospitalization - economics
Humans
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Infant, Premature, Diseases - economics
Insurance Carriers
Length of Stay
Patient admissions
Patient Readmission - economics
Patient Transfer - economics
Pediatrics
Premature birth
Premature Birth - economics
United States
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Summary:The objective of this study was to estimate national hospital costs for infant admissions that are associated with preterm birth/low birth weight. Infant (35 million hospital discharges nationwide. Hospital costs, based on weighted cost-to-charge ratios, and lengths of stay were calculated for preterm/low birth weight infants, uncomplicated newborns, and all other infant hospitalizations and assessed by degree of prematurity, major complications, and expected payer. In 2001, 8% (384,200) of all 4.6 million infant stays nationwide included a diagnosis of preterm birth/low birth weight. Costs for these preterm/low birth weight admissions totaled $5.8 billion, representing 47% of the costs for all infant hospitalizations and 27% for all pediatric stays. Preterm/low birth weight infant stays averaged $15,100, with a mean length of stay of 12.9 days versus $600 and 1.9 days for uncomplicated newborns. Costs were highest for extremely preterm infants (
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.2006-2386