Using a CDC-developed tool that estimates state-level costs associated with various chronic diseases, CDC and University of North Carolina researchers found that the average state-specific medical costs of chronic diseases ranged from $410 million to $1.8 billion between 2004 and 2008.
Many studies have estimated national chronic disease costs, but only limited information on state-level costs. The CDC developed the Chronic Disease Cost Calculator (CDCC) in 2009; the most recent version includes data through 2013. The tool estimates state-level costs for arthritis, asthma, cancer, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, other heart diseases, depression, and diabetes.
In using the tool, researchers found that:
- Average state-specific medical costs ranged from $410 million (for asthma) to $1.8 billion (for diabetes).
- Average absenteeism costs ranged from $5 million (for congestive heart failure) to $217 million (for arthritis).
- Across states and chronic conditions, Medicaid and Medicare medical costs represented 29 percent (depression) to 57 percent (congestive heart failure) of overall state medical costs.
These estimates highlight possible areas of cost savings achievable through targeted prevention efforts or research into new interventions and treatments.
The researchers point out that the estimates provided by the calculator supplement other disease burden measures of chronic disease impact and may identify opportunities for targeting prevention programs to reduce risk factors and chronic diseases.
"This information is vital for program decisions and resource allocations for chronic disease prevention and disease management programs," they suggest.
The study is published in Preventing Chronic Disease.