Trends in Healthcare Expenditures among Individuals with Arthritis in the United States from 2008 to 2014.

Objective: With the expected rise in the arthritis population, information is required regarding trends of healthcare expenditures among individuals with arthritis in the United States. We examined temporal trends in direct and out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare expenditures among individuals with arthritis using a nationally representative database, the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey.

Methods: The study population was composed of cross-sectional cohorts of individuals aged ≥ 18 years from 2008 to 2014. Two-part models were used to estimate the incremental total and types of annual direct and OOP healthcare expenditures (adjusted to 2014 US dollars) for arthritis, after controlling for predisposing, enabling, need, personal health practice, and external environmental factors, as per the Anderson Healthcare Behavioral Model.

Results: An annual weighted arthritis population rose from 56.1 million in 2008 to 65.1 million in 2014. Among individuals with arthritis, the annual average direct and OOP expenditure was $10,424 [standard error (SE) = $345, aggregate = $584.8 billion] and $1493 (SE = $50, aggregate = $83.8 billion) in 2008, respectively, and $910 (SE = $279, total = $645.1 billion) and $1099 (SE = $36, aggregate = $71.5 billion) in 2014, respectively. In the fully adjusted model, individuals with arthritis had significantly greater total and OOP expenditures from 2008 to 2014; however, the magnitude of incremental OOP expenditure declined from 2008 to 2014.

Conclusion: Although the annual direct healthcare expenditures per person remained stable over the years, the rise in proportion of the arthritis population led to a huge increase in aggregate economic burden to the US healthcare system.