Factors associated with hospitalization charges for cleft palate repairs and revisions.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to provide nationally representative estimates of cleft palate correction and revision procedures performed in hospitalized patients, as well as to examine patient- and hospital-level factors associated with hospitalization charges.


METHODS
The Nationwide Inpatient Sample for the year 2007 was used. All hospitalizations that had a cleft palate correction or revision of cleft palate repair were selected. Estimates of concomitant procedures performed during the index hospitalization were obtained. The roles of different patient- and hospital-level variables on hospitalization charges were examined by use of multivariable linear regression analysis.


RESULTS
A total of 5,969 repairs and/or revisions of cleft palate procedures were performed in hospitals in the entire United States. The mean age per hospitalization was 3.2 years. Whites accounted for 51.3% of procedures, whereas blacks, Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, and other races accounted for 4.9%, 26.4%, 9.2%, 3.2%, and 5%, respectively. The mean charge per each hospitalization was $19,227, and the total hospitalization charge for the entire United States was $112.96 million. Patients aged less than 1 year (P = .02) and those aged between 8 and 12 years (P = .03) had significantly lower charges compared with those aged 18 years or older. Use of bone morphogenetic protein was associated with higher hospital charges (P = .0006). Compared with the uninsured, those covered by Medicaid (P = .04), private insurance plans (P = .02), and other insurance plans (P = .0005) were associated with higher charges.


CONCLUSIONS
This study identified an association between hospital charges and insurance payer, race, treatments performed, and age. Our results provide insights into nationally representative estimates on management of cleft palate corrections and revisions.
Predoctoral Orthodontics, Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA. VA15@hsdm.harvard.edu
Veerasathpurush
V
Allareddy
Khadijah
K
Turkistani
Vikrum
V
Nanda
Veeratrishul
V
Allareddy
Praveenkumar
P
Gajendrareddy
Shankar R
SR
Venugopalan
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000191:economics / Q000601:surgery*; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006742:Hospital Bed Capacity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007223:Infant; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012086:Reoperation / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins