In 2011, 70 percent of all hospital costs were due to conditions in seven primary diagnostic categories, according to a statistical brief from the Agency for Healthcare Research ad Quality.
AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project has issued several reports breaking down the costs and finances of the country's healthcare system. The most recent brief breaks down costs for U.S. hospital stays in 2011.
Here are seven statistics on diagnostic categories that accounted for the largest share of hospital costs in 2011, based on the AHRQ and HCUP statistical brief.
• Circulatory system — 18 percent ($69.7 billion)
• Musculoskeletal system — 14 percent ($54.2 billion)
• Respiratory system — 11 percent ($42.6 billion)
• Digestive system — 9 percent ($34.9 billion)
• Nervous system — 7 percent ($27.1 billion)
• Infectious and parasitic diseases — 6 percent ($23.2 billion)
• Pregnancy/childbirth — 5 percent ($19.4 billion)
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