Table 5. Most Common Procedures for Hospital Stays Billed to Medicare

All Listed Procedures* Total number of discharges with this procedure category (in thousands) Medicare's share of hospital stays with this procedure (in percent)
1. Diagnostic cardiac catheterization, coronary arteriography 1,954 50.5
2. Respiratory intubation and mechanical ventilation 701 44.8
3. Blood transfusion 696 53.7
4. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, biopsy 651 55.7
5. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) 395 53.4
6. Cardiac pacemaker or cardioverter/defibrillator procedure 349 75.1
7. Colonoscopy and biopsy 343 60.7
8. Diagnostic ultrasound of heart (echocardiogram) 339 51.9
9. Hemodialysis 338 65.5
10. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) 296 48.7

* The term "All-listed procedures" refers to all procedures performed during a hospital stay; patients often receive more than one procedure.

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