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National Hospital Bill for Premature Babies Estimated at $11.9 Billion
WASHINGTON, D.C., JANUARY 30, 2003 – The total national hospital bill for premature babies is estimated at $11.9 billion in 2000, according to a new analysis prepared by the March of Dimes.
Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, announced the figure here today at the March of Dimes launch of a new $75 million, five-year national campaign on prematurity. With this campaign, the March of Dimes seeks to increase public awareness of the growing problem of prematurity and decrease the rate of premature birth in the U.S. In 2001, more than 476,000 babies, or nearly 12 percent of live births, were premature (born before 37 completed weeks).
The analysis was conducted by the March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, January 2003, based on 2000 data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The charges are for acute hospital care and do not reflect physician and other professional fees, rehabilitation expenses, or costs associated with follow-up care or home care.
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