Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022
OBJECTIVE
This study updates previous estimates of the economic burden of diagnosed diabetes and calculates the health resource use and indirect costs attributable to diabetes in 2022.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
We combine the demographics of the US population in 2022 with diabetes prevalence from national survey data, epidemiological data, healthcare cost, and economic data into a Cost of Diabetes Economic Model to estimate the economic burden at the population and per capita levels. Health resource use and associated medical costs are analyzed by age, sex, race/ethnicity, comorbid condition, and health service category. Data sources include national surveys (2015-2020, or most recent available), Medicare standard analytic files (2020), and administrative claims data from 2018-2021 for a large commercially insured population in the US.
RESULTS
The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2022 is $412.9 billion, including $306.6 billion in direct medical costs and $106.3 billion in indirect costs attributable to diabetes. For cost categories analyzed, care for people diagnosed with diabetes accounts for 1 in 4 healthcare dollars in the US, 61% of which is attributable to diabetes. People with diabetes incur average annual medical expenditures of $19,736, of which approximately $12,022 is attributable to diabetes. People diagnosed with diabetes, on average, have medical expenditures 2.6-times higher than what would be expected without diabetes. Glucose lowering medications and diabetic supplies account for about 17% of the total direct medical costs attributable to diabetes. Major contributors to indirect costs are reduced employment due to disability ($28.3 billion), presenteeism ($35.8 billion), and lost productivity due to 338,526 premature deaths ($32.4 billion).
CONCLUSIONS
The inflation-adjusted economic costs of diabetes are estimated to rise slightly (7%) compared to the 2017 calculations (stated in 2022 dollars). Following decades of steadily increasing prevalence of diabetes, the overall estimated prevalence in 2022 remains relatively stable. However, the absolute number of people with diabetes has grown and contributes to increased healthcare expenditures, particularly per capita spending on inpatient hospital stays and prescription medications. The enormous economic toll of diabetes continues to burden society through direct medical and indirect costs.
