Researchers analyzed 2023 data to determine the most common diagnoses for inpatient treatment and total associated costs, including patients' out-of-pocket share. Inpatient treatment for mental health and substance use accounted for 10% of total commercial inpatient stays during this period. Fifty-four percent were for a primary mental health diagnosis, and 46% were for substance use disorder. Most enrollees who received mental health (82%) or substance use (65%) inpatient treatment had only one stay within a calendar year. Other key findings include:

The average total inpatient cost, including the shares paid by the insurer and the patient, for a mental health admission was $15,900 and for a substance use admission was $15,500.
The most common mental health diagnosis was depression (45% of admissions), with an average total cost of $13,100 per admission.
The most common substance use diagnosis was alcohol use disorder (three-quarters of admissions), with an average cost of $15,900 per admission.
Mental health inpatient treatment often included patient time in a psychiatric room or unit within a general acute care hospital (9 in 10 visits). Substance use inpatient treatment varied, with 50% of visits including time in a detoxification facility, one-third in a non-psychiatric hospital setting and 30% in a residential treatment facility.
Two-thirds of inpatient mental health admissions and one-third of inpatient substance use visits included time in the emergency department.
The average out-of-pocket cost to patients for inpatient treatment was $1,300 for a mental health admission and $1,400 for a substance use admission.

Overall, spending on treatment for mental health and substance use has grown faster than total medical services, accounting for more than 5% of all health care spending. Although spending on these services by both public and private payers is expected to increase in coming years, an unmet need remains..

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Inpatient mental health and substance use stays average $15,000, report finds

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