Readmission costs

Readmissions of patients within 30 days of discharge from hospitals due to medical errors cost Medicare an estimated $15 billion.   In addition, 20 percent of those patients are likely to experience another preventable readmission within 6 months—sending the price tag up by $729 million or $7,400 per readmission.

Source: Payment Policy for Inpatient Readmissions. In: Report to the Congress Medicare Payment Policy, Washington, DC: MEDPAC, 2007; pp. 103-120.

by Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MEDPAC)

Source: Healthcare for All, Boston, MA.

by Healthcare for All, Boston, MA. Available at: