@article{ref1,
title="Costs and financial burden of initial hospitalizations for firearm injuries in the United States, 2006-2014",
journal="American journal of public health",
year="2017",
author="Spitzer, Sarabeth A. and Staudenmayer, Kristan L. and Tennakoon, Lakshika and Spain, David A. and Weiser, Thomas G.",
volume="107",
number="5",
pages="770-774",
abstract="OBJECTIVES: To quantify the inflation-adjusted costs associated with initial hospitalizations for firearm-related injuries in the United States. <br><br>METHODS: We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify patients admitted for firearm-related injuries from 2006 to 2014. We converted charges from hospitalization to costs, which we inflation-adjusted to 2014 dollars. We used survey weights to create national estimates. <br><br>RESULTS: Costs for the initial inpatient hospitalization totaled $6.61 billion. The largest proportion was for patients with governmental insurance coverage, totaling $2.70 billion (40.8%) and was divided between Medicaid ($2.30 billion) and Medicare ($0.40 billion). Self-pay individuals accounted for $1.56 billion (23.6%) in costs. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: From 2006 to 2014, the cost of initial hospitalizations for firearm-related injuries averaged $734.6 million per year. Medicaid paid one third and self-pay patients one quarter of the financial burden. These figures substantially underestimate true health care costs. Public health implications. Firearm-related injuries are costly to the US health care system and are particularly burdensome to government insurance and the self-paying poor. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print March 21, 2017: e1-e5. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2017.303684).<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0090-0036",
doi="10.2105/AJPH.2017.303684",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303684"
}