OBJECTIVES: To understand the trends in rate and cost of hospitalizations due to Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in the United States. METHODS: We analyzed last five years of hospitalizations with ICD-9 diagnosis codes of CKD and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The annual number of hospitalizations for specific diagnosis were obtained from AHRQ's National In-patient Sample (NIS) databases of 2005-2009. Data were also analyzed for length of stay (LOS), charges and cost of hospitalization. RESULTS: During last five years the number of hospitalizations with diagnosis of CKD and ESRD have increased 4.1 and 4.6 fold, respectively. In 2009, an estimated 1,634,422 and 931,641 hospitalizations were with diagnosis of CKD and ESRD, respectively. The mean LOS for patients with CKD has increased from 4.9 to 5.5 days, during 2005-2009.  The mean LOS for patients with ESRD has remained steady at ~6 days during 2005-2009.  The cost of hospitalization with diagnosis of CKD has increased 31% during 2005-2009. The cost of hospitalization with diagnosis of ESRD has increased 21% during 2005-2009. In 2009, the mean cost of hospitalization for patients with CKD and ESRD were $11,209 and $21,358, respectively.  CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalizations due to CKD and ESRD have significantly increased during last five years. There is a need for prevention, treatment and disease management programs to lower the medical and socioeconomic burden of this disease.