How Much Does Staying In A Hospital Cost?

In the United States, no one system determines hospital costs; as such, they range wildly around the country, but the average is roughly $2,600 per day throughout the United States. Recent studies show California ($3,726 per day) and Oregon ($3,271) are, on average, the most expensive; Wyoming ($1,383) and Iowa ($1,606) a distant second. Many factors determine this, including insurance coverage, hospital charges, and inpatient room rate.

Non-emergency surgeries can see a patient receiving care from a provider out of their coverage network. The doctor performing an elective procedure may be in-network, but the anesthesiologist working with the patient might not; patients will then receive higher charges.

Occupying a hospital bed overnight can make costs go up, however. The average hospital stay costs can go up to $11,700 for those on Medicare ($13,600) and private insurance ($12,600), while uninsured patients ($9,300) and those on Medicaid ($9,800) pay the least.*

Many people think of these costs only when emergencies come up, but those with ongoing health issues often find the charges mounting when they stay in hospital. For those with disabilities or on fixed incomes, they might not be able to afford them.

In 2012, just 7.2% of the American populace experienced an inpatient hospital stay. These stays, however, had an average cost exceeding $18,000, making them one of the priciest forms of medical care. The five costliest conditions—septicemia, osteoarthritis, live births, complications from devices or implants, and acute myocardial infarction—made up about 20% of the total expenses for all hospitalizations. Furthermore, the top 20 medical conditions were responsible for almost 50% of the overall costs for hospital stays.