Case-based hospital billing data from the Health Care Utilization Partnership was used to calculate annual statewide hospital charges for the acute care of traffic injuries in Nebraska. E-codes 810.0 though 819.9 identified traffic injury cases.

Admissions and emergency department (ED)-only visits for traffic injuries accrued significantly higher charges than other types of care. Statewide, hospital charges for the acute care of traffic injury totaled more than U.S.$63.8 million in 2004. Of this, 23.2% was charged to public payers (Medicare or Medicaid) and 5.5% was charged to selfpay (generally accepted as bad debt absorbed by the hospital system).