Cost_of_COPD_PropellerHealth.pdf

COST COPDexercerbations hospitals year disease costs rate life visit d ir ec t tr ea tm en t OF d ea th life months symptoms h el p hospitalization excess medication readmitted E D age excess care ED life nation medication life re a d m it te d rate ED a g e age lu n g hospitals months hospitalization life excess tr ea tm en t year h el p d ir ec t ED visit nation symptoms d ea th ED exercerbations $ months n a ti on disease care d ir ec t age medication ra te caremonths care excessrate life ED $ rate Stats You Need to Know ? 2014 Propeller Health | hello@ | 608.251.0470 | The Prevalence of COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems.1 COPD is most prevalent in older adults (65+); key factors in its development and progression include exposure to tobacco smoke and other air pollutants, genetic factors and respiratory infections. COPD, like many chronic diseases, is not curable, but treatment can slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life for the patient. In 2011, the year for which we have the most recent data, there were 14.8 million physician-diagnosed cases of COPD.2 However, more than 50 percent of adults with low pulmonary function are not aware they have COPD, leading experts to predict 10 to 12 million US adults with impaired lung function have yet to be diagnosed.3,4 According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 3.85 million Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries had COPD in 2012, with about 82 percent over the age of 65 and 18 percent under age 65 (an almost 20 percent increase since 2008).5 In 2010, there were 135,000 deaths in the United States from COPD, making COPD the third-leading cause of death since 2008.67 Healthcare Costs COPD is the 5th most expensive disease in the US.8 In 2010, annual costs associated with COPD surpassed