The cost of influenza-related hospitalizations in children may be considerably higher than previously estimated. An analysis of electronic billing data in the study, “Direct Medical Cost of Influenza-Related Hospitalizations in Children,” found that the mean total cost of hospitalizing a child for influenza-related illness is approximately $13,000 (approx. $7,000 for ward patients and $40,000 for ICU patients).
Previous studies estimated the cost of pediatric hospitalization for influenza to be between $3,000 and $4,000. The authors theorize that prior study cost estimates were probably lower because they analyzed costs for children hospitalized with diseases “attributed” to influenza rather than actual laboratory-confirmed cases of actual influenza-related hospitalizations. The results suggest that annual influenza vaccinations, especially for children with certain high-risk conditions, have the potential for significant cost savings.