Variations in average charges for strokes and TIAs: United States, 1995

The 1995 in-hospital charges for 6,628 group health insured stroke victims averaged $11,010 across the country. This total was over twice the average charge for the 1,584 patients hospitalized with a transient ischemic attack (TIA), $4,940. The Mountain and the neighboring Pacific areas of the country reported the highest charges for a stroke, 24 and 16 percent, respectively, higher than the U.S. average. The charges in the East North Central and East South Central areas were the lowest, each under $9,000 and 20 and 25 percent below the norm, respectively. Between study states, the highest stroke charge was reported in Arizona ($17,590) and the lowest in Ohio ($6,670). Hospital charges comprised 81 percent of the total bill to insurance, averaging $8,940. Physicians' charges averaged $2,070, with those in New York 34 percent above the norm and those in Alabama 30 percent below ($1,450). The New Jersey hospital stays averaged 8.1 days, whereas the stay in Oregon was 5.2 days. The total TIA charge was just under $5,000 across the country. Illinois reported the highest TIA in-hospital charge, $6,160, 25 percent above the U.S. average and almost twice the total in Alabama ($3,170). The hospital charges comprised 87 percent of the total, averaging $4,290. Physicians' charges in Pennsylvania were the highest ($890, 37 percent above the U.S. norm of $650) and those in Alabama the lowest ($450, 31 percent below). The average length of stay was 3.7 days for a TIA, ranging from 5.4 days in New York to 2.3 days in Arizona.