The Cost of Digestive Diseases More Than $141 Billion a Year

In a report commissioned by the National Institutes of Health, it's written that costs, doctor visits, prescription costs, and hospitalizations related to digestive diseases have risen significantly in recent years. The Burden of Digestive Diseases in the United States report is summarized in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

Digestive, liver and pancreatic diseases result in more than 100 million outpatient visits and 13 million hospitalizations annually at a cost of $141.8 billion.

James E. Everhart, MD, MPH of the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and lead author of the study, stated, "Outpatient visits and hospitalizations for gastroesophageal reflux disease increased several fold in the last 15 years with a corresponding increase in the incidence of its complication of esophageal cancer."

According to the report, the 10 most costly digestive diseases in both direct and indirect costs are:

1. Digestive cancers: $24.1 billion [$9.5 billion cost of colorectal cancer, $4.3 billion cost for pancreatic cancer are included in the digestive cancers total]
2. Liver disease: $13.1 billion
3. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): $12.6 billion
4. Gallstones: $6.2 billion
5. Abdominal wall hernia: $6.1 billion
6. Diverticular disease: $4.0 billion
7. Pancreatitis: $3.7 billion
8. Viral hepatitis (A, B, C): $3.3 billion
9. Peptic ulcer disease: $3.1 billion
10. Appendicitis: $2.6 billion

The complete Burden of Digestive Diseases Report can be found on the NIDDK website.