OBJECTIVES: The societal economic burden of asthma was $56 billion (direct and indirect costs) in 2007. Inpatient costs represented 28%-43% of the total direct costs (excluding prescription costs). The objective of this study is to estimate the determinants of 30-day hospital readmissions among patients with asthma. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted for patients with asthma (ICD 9 code 493) among all age groups utilizing the 2012 Truven MarketScan dataset. Patients discharged to home or other facilities were included (un-weighted n=16,390). A multivariable logit model was employed where the outcome variable was a dichotomous 30-day readmission (any caused readmission). The covariates included demographic characteristics, length of stay at index hospitalization, past healthcare utilizations, and comorbidities. RESULTS: Among patients with asthma, the readmission rate within 30 days after the index hospitalization discharge was 4.8%. Older groups were more likely to be readmitted than younger group (17-34 aged): Odds ratio (OR)=1.59 (35-44 aged, p=0.023), 1.61 (45-54 aged, p=0.012) and 1.71 (55-64 aged, p=0.007). Patients with HMO, PPO and Comprehensive insurances were 72% more (OR=1.72, p<0.001), 31% less (OR=0.69, p=0.031) and 68% less (OR=0.32, p<0.001) likely to be readmitted than those with PPO, respectively. Patients discharged to other facilities were 388% (OR=4.88, p<0.001) more likely to be readmitted than those discharged to home. Patients with connective tissue disease were 63% (OR=1.63, p=0.007) more likely to be readmitted within 30 days than those without. In addition, an increase of hospitalization in the prior year contributed to a 1.36% probability increase of 30-day readmissions (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patient groups vulnerable for 30-day readmissions after hospitalization were identified among patients with asthma. A comorbidity disease and a previous record of healthcare utilization were risk factors for 30-day readmission.