In 2011, chemotherapy and radiotherapy readmissions among the commercially insured cost hospitals $400 million. It was also the most common readmission. The second-costliest readmission for privately insured patients involved complications from devices, implants or grafts, totaling $322 million.
Like Medicaid readmissions, the costs of commercially insured readmissions costs are a drop in the bucket compared to Medicare. The 10 most common commercially insured readmissions cost hospitals $2.06 billion in 2011, almost identical to Medicaid figures. However, congestive heart failure — the most common and expensive Medicare readmission — cost $1.75 billion alone.
Here are the costs of the 10 most common readmissions among the commercially insured, according to the AHRQ brief. Note: Costs were defined as the actual expenses incurred in the production of hospital services (such as wages, supplies and utility costs). A readmission was defined as a patient who was hospitalized within 30 days of a previous hospital admission.
1. Maintenance chemotherapy and radiotherapy — $400 million (25,500 total readmissions)
2. Complications of device, implant or graft — $322 million (16,900 total readmissions)
3. Septicemia (except in labor) — $272 million (14,800 total readmissions)
4. Complications of surgical procedures or medical care — $250 million (18,000 total readmissions)
5. Secondary malignancies — $176 million (12,000 total readmissions)
6. Pancreatic disorders (not diabetes) — $156 million (11,000 total readmissions)
7. Coronary atherosclerosis and other heart disease — $154 million (10,800 total readmissions)
8. Diabetes mellitus with complications — $138 million (12,700 total readmissions)
9. Mood disorders — $135 million (19,600 total readmissions)
10. Early or threatened labor — $59 million (11,300 total readmissions)
To view the costs of the 10 most common Medicare and Medicaid readmissions in 2011, click here and here.
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