Cost of hospital cardiac care on the rise (USA)

U.S. hospital costs for treating cardiovascular conditions have increased about 40% within the last decade, according to the latest federal government numbers. The increase, from $40 billion in 1997 to $57.9 billion in 2006, occurred mainly between 1997 and 2003, according to the report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Since then,the annual growth in hospital costs for treating these conditions has slowed to less than 2% due to a decline in the number of heart disease cases and slower increases in cost per case. - Source: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, news release, Dec. 10, 2008