AHRQ Stats

Mental disorders were the most expensive conditions ($13.8 billion) to treat among children, followed by asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ($11.9 billion), trauma-related disorders ($5.8 billion), acute bronchitis and upper respiratory infection ($3.3 billion) and otitis media ($3.2 billion) in 2011. (Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Statistical Brief #434: The Five Most Costly Children's Conditions, 2011: Estimates for U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Children, Ages 0-17.)

STATISTICAL BRIEF #434:
The Five Most Costly Children's Conditions, 2011: Estimates for U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Children, Ages 0-17

April 2014

Anita Soni, PhD, MBA

Highlights

For those under 18 years of age, these five medical conditions—mental disorders, asthma, trauma-related disorders, acute bronchitis and upper respiratory infections, and otitis media—ranked highest in terms of direct medical spending in 2011.
Of the five most costly conditions for children, mental disorders affected the fewest children but had the highest average expense per child.
Treatment of mental disorders ($13.8 billion) accounted for the highest total expense and acute bronchitis and URI ($3.3 billion), and otitis media ($3.2 billion) accounted for the lowest among the top five most expensive children's conditions in 2011.
Nearly half of the expenditures for mental disorders (48.4 percent) and asthma (49.1 percent) in children were paid by Medicaid.