Mean total charges for spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA1) admissions were higher than those with no complex chronic conditions (CCC) (US$150,921 vs US$19,261, respectively); the total costs were also higher in SMA1 admissions

SMA1 hospitalizations were 4.4-fold longer compared with those of children with no CCC (15.1 vs 3.4 days, respectively); a larger proportion of SMA1 admissions were billed for one or more procedures (81.9% vs 39.4%, respectively)

The average total charges for a single SMA1 admission exceeds the yearly estimates of all care costs previously reported for SMA patients. Because children with SMA1 experience an average of 4.2 hospitalizations annually, the annual charges for the care of SMA1 patients may be far higher than previous studies suggest