Direct Medical Costs

Overall, ambulatory care visits accounted for the largest share of per-person direct cost for people with an osteoporosis condition. At an average cost of $3,758 per person between 2009 and 2011, an increase of 42% from 1996 to 1998, ambulatory care accounted for 34% of per-person direct cost between 2009 and 2011. Both the share of per-person cost for inpatient care and the mean cost dropped between 1996 and 1998 to 2009 and 2011, with the share dropping from 36% to 24% and the mean cost from $3,009 to $2,681. However, the average per-person cost for prescriptions rose from $1,477 to $2,989, in 2011 dollars, an increase of 102%. (Reference Table 10.4 PDF [1] CSV [2])

Total direct per-person health care costs in 2009 to 2011 for people with an osteoporosis condition were $10,978, an increase of 28% since 1996 to 1998. Incremental direct per-person costs, those costs most likely attributable to an osteoporosis condition, were not calculated for osteoporosis because of the small sample size. (Reference Table 10.6 PDF [3] CSV [4])

Total aggregate direct costs for persons with an osteoporosis condition were $70.5 billion from 2009 to 2011, a rise of 160% from the $27.1 billion from 1996 to 1998, in 2011 dollars.