Financial impact of thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair

We have reviewed our experience regarding hospital costs and reimbursement for 72 patients who underwent thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair. Preoperative risk factors, postoperative complications, length of stay, and source of reimbursement were recorded for all patients. Patients covered by Medicare resulted in a mean net institutional loss of $16,472 per patient, whereas a mean net profit of $17,847 per patient resulted from patients with commercial insurance. Factors associated with institutional financial loss were: age over 75 years, preoperative coronary disease, postoperative respiratory failure, and length of stay. By multivariate analysis, however, only length of stay was independently associated with institutional loss. 2 Vascular Medicine, Ochsner Clinic and Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, New Orleans, Louisiana.