The “Most Expensive” Diseases

Three musculoskeletal conditions rank among the top ten “most expensive” according to a study.

The ranking is based on how much money each condition costs the U.S. healthcare system.

Trauma is the second most expensive medical problem costing the healthcare system $56 billion each year.

The most expensive condition treated in the United States is heart trouble, topping the list at $68 billion each year.

Cancer is the third most expensive condition, with a cost to the U.S. healthcare system of $48 billion.

Arthritis and joint diseases are number seven, costing the healthcare system $32 billion annually.

The third musculoskeletal condition in the top ten is back problems, which is number nine, costing the system $23 billion per year.

You can see, therefore, that bone and joint problems that we treat on a daily basis in our practice rank extremely high in the cost to the U.S. healthcare system.

Certainly there is much to be done from a preventive medicine standpoint in trying to reduce the cost of these musculoskeletal conditions.