U.S. hospitals bill insurance companies $1.2 trillion during 2008 for inpatient care: AHRQ

U.S. community hospitals billed insurance companies and federal and state programs $1.2 trillion in 2008 for inpatient care, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This represents a 28 percent increase over the $900 billion, adjusted for inflation, billed in 2004.

In particular, in 2008:

o Total charges billed to Medicare ($534 billion) and Medicaid ($159 billion) accounted for about 60 percent of all charges in 2008. Private insurers were charged $373 billion, or 32 percent of the total. The uninsured accounted for $48 billion, or 5 percent of the national bill.

o One-fifth of Medicare's total bill ($107.5 billion) was for treatment of heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, heart rhythm disorders, stroke, or heart valve disorders.

o Medicaid and private insurers saw the largest biggest bills for pregnancy and childbirth ($22 billion and $30 billion, respectively) and care of newborn infants ($19 billion and $21 billion).

o Among the uninsured, heart attack was the most expensive reason for hospitalization ($2.4 billion). Three of the top 20 most expensive reasons for hospitalizations for the uninsured involved head injuries, leg fracture, and internal injuries ($2.9 billion).