How much does a hospital cost?

In 2017, aggregate hospital costs for 35.8 million hospital stays totaled $434.2 billion. The five most expensive inpatient conditions were septicemia, osteoarthritis, liveborn (newborn) infants, acute myocardial infarction, and heart failure. The 20 most expensive conditions accounted for slightly less than half of aggregate hospital costs.

How much does a hospital stay cost?

The average cost per hospital stay in the U.S. was $11,700 in 2016, according to a report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Septicemia (blood poisoning) was ranked as the most expensive, accounting for $38.2 billion or 8.8% percent of combined costs for all hospital stays in 2017.

What is the biggest expense for hospitals?

The hospital workforce is central to the care process and often the largest expense for hospitals. It is no surprise then that even before the pandemic, labor costs — which include costs associated with recruiting and retaining employed staff, benefits and incentives — accounted for more than 50% of hospitals’ total expenses.