Home Article Costs associated with COPD on the rise, report says

Costs associated with COPD on the rise, report says

By HME News Staff

Updated Fri July 25, 2014

GLENVIEW, Ill. - Medical costs related to COPD will rise from $32.1 billion in 2010 to $49 billion in 2020, the American College of Chest Physicians estimates in a new report.

The group, which presented its findings to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 24, also estimate absenteeism costs were $3.9 billion in 2010, for a total of $36 billion in costs attributable to COPD.

Private insurance picked up the tab for 18% of the medial costs associated with COPD, while Medicare paid 51% and Medicaid paid 25%, according to the report.

"Evidence-based interventions that prevent and reduce tobacco use and reduce clinical complications of COPD may result in potential decreased COPD-attributable costs," said Earl Ford, MD, Division of Population Health, CDC, in a statement.

In 2011, 12.7 million adults in the U.S. were believed to have COPD. However, nearly 24 million have evidence of impaired lung function, indicating an under-diagnosis of the disease, according to the report.