The ICU is a growing concern for US Health Plans. ICU expenditures are growing on a per capita basis, and the trend seems to be resistant to managed care. Given the high patient acuity and lack of single-point accountability for economic performance of the ICU, health plans have been unable to have much impact on cost or quality of care in this arena.

Per diems for the ICU range from $1,500 - $2,500, and ICU patients also receive numerous physician consultations and procedures, averaging an additional $1,000 per day in professional services claims costs. For a typical Medicare managed care patient population, these costs average $50 per member per month. The ability to reduce total ICU expenditures by 10% to 15% represents a substantial $4 to $7 per member per month savings for health plans.