Silver Book Fact
In 2003, $31.7 billion in payments were made to Medicare beneficiaries discharged from short-stay hospitals with a principal diagnosis of cardiovascular disease–an average of $8,966 per discharge.
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