Top 10 most expensive chronic diseases for healthcare payers: Healthpayer Intelligence

“Chronic diseases are on the rise in the United States, leaving healthcare payers with the challenge of covering care for patients with these expensive, long-term conditions,” Thomas Beaton writes over at Healthpayer Intelligence. “Healthcare spending reached a total of $3.2 trillion dollars in 2015, based upon estimates from CMS. Spending is expected to continue to grow at an average of 5.5 percent through 2025, with chronic diseases treatment comprising a major portion of that spending. Based on the latest data from the CDC and presented in descending order, here are the top 10 most expensive chronic diseases for healthcare payers to treat. CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES The costs of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the US total $317 billion per year, split between $193.7 billion in direct medical costs and $123.5 billion in lost productivity. The sheer volume of patients that experience CVD fatalities is an ever-growing concern for payers. According to the CDC, an adult dies from a CVD-related health condition such as a heart attack every 40 seconds. These deaths account for 31 percent of all US deaths each year. CVD treatment accounts for roughly one dollar of every $6 spent on healthcare in the country.” Others: Smoking-related health issues, over $300 billion; alcohol-related health issues, $249 billion; diabetes, $245 billion; Alzheimers, $236 billion; cancer, $171 billion; obesity, $147 billion; arthritis, $128 billion; asthma, $56 billion; stroke, $33 billion. Thomas Beaton, “Top 10 Most Expensive Chronic Diseases for Healthcare Payers,” Healthpayer Intelligence.