Chronic Disease Cost

• More than 90 million Americans live with chronic illnesses.

• Chronic diseases account for 70% of all deaths in the United States.
  The medical care costs of people with chronic diseases account for more than 75% of the nation's $1.4 trillion medical care costs.

• Chronic diseases account for one-third of the years of potential life lost before age 65. Hospitalizations for pregnancy-related complications occurring before delivery account for more than $1 billion annually.

• The direct and indirect costs of diabetes are nearly $132 billion a year.

• Each year, arthritis results in estimated medical care costs of more than $22 billion, and estimated total costs (medical care and lost productivity) of almost $82 billion.

• The estimated direct and indirect costs associated with smoking exceed $75 billion annually.

• In 2001, approximately $300 billion was spent on all cardiovascular diseases. Over $129 in lost productivity was due to cardiovascular disease.

• The direct medical costs associated with physical inactivity were nearly $76.6 billion in 2000.

• Nearly $68 billion is spent on dental services each year.

• For a cost ranging from $1,108 to $4,542 for smoking cessation programs, 1 quality adjusted year of life is saved. Smoking cessation interventions have been called the gold standard of cost-effective interventions.
  The direct medical costs associated with physical inactivity were $29 billion in 1987 and nearly $76.6 billion in 2000. Engaging in regular physical activity is associated with taking less medication and having fewer hospitalizations and physician visits.
• For every $1 spent on preconception care programs for women with diabetes, $1.86 can be saved by preventing birth defects among their offspring.
• According to one Northern California study, for every $1 spent on the Arthritis Self-Help Program, $3.42 was saved in physician visits and hospital costs.
• A mammogram every 2 years for women aged 50-69 costs about $9,000 per year of life saved. This cost compares favorably with other widely used clinical preventive services. For the cost of 100 Papanicolaou (PAP) tests for low-income elderly women, about $5,907 and 3.7 years of life are saved.
• After controlling for physical limitation and major socioeconomic factors, more than 12% of annual medical costs of the inactive persons with arthritis are associated with physical inactivity. Physical activity interventions may be a cost-effective strategy for reducing the burden of arthritis.

• "Trends Alert - Costs of Chronic Diseases: What Are States Facing" (pdf)

The Chronic Disease Program is part of the Nevada State Health
Division and all information contained on this site is maintained by that agency.