Silver Book Fact
In 2003, $12.2 billion was paid to Medicare beneficiaries for in-hospital costs when cardiovascular disease was the principal diagnosis ($12,321 per discharge for acute myocardial infarction, $11,783 per discharge for coronary atherosclerosis, and $5,127 per discharge for other ischemic heart disease).
Rosamond W, Flegal K, Furie K, Go A, et al. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics- 2008 Update. Circulation. 2008; 117. http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/short/117/4/e25