title: Hospitalization charges for children with birth defects in Texas, 2001 to 2010.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  State-specific information about hospitalizations of children with birth defects can improve understanding of changes in occurrence, treatment practices, and health care financing policies. This study analyzed aggregated data on hospital charges and length of stay for a large, diverse population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We extracted hospitalization data for children diagnosed with birth defects from the Texas Hospital Inpatient Discharge Public Use Data File (2001-2010). Analyses compared total charges and length of stay for children with and without a diagnosis code of any birth defect among 45 standard categories. We also examined trends for total charges by expected payer type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In Texas, 431,296 hospital stays were reported for children with birth defects, with total charges of $24.8 billion. Mean hospital stay for children with birth defects was more than twice that of those without, whereas mean of hospital total charges was approximately six times greater. Pyloric stenosis accounted for the largest number of hospitalizations, followed by certain cardiac defects. Pediatric hospitalizations for birth defects increased 273.7%, compared with a 214.7% increase overall. The percentage of charges with Medicaid as expected payer (2004-2010) ranged from 56.5 to 62.0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Charges associated with these conditions are far greater than those associated with pediatric hospitalizations for other causes, whether in the newborn period or beyond. However, these charges vary depending on specific diagnoses, expected payer source, and year of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Texas Department of State Health Services, Birth Defects Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Karen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Moffitt
authors.affiliation: Texas Department of State Health Services, Birth Defects Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Amy P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Case
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Noha H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Farag
authors.affiliation: Texas Department of State Health Services, Birth Defects Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Canfield
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States
keywords: congenital abnormalities; hospital charges; hospitalization; length of stay