Estimating the Annual Healthcare Expenditure Costs and Utilization of Thyroid Disorders in the United States.

Abstract

We sought to determine healthcare utilization and expenditure associated with thyroid disorders annually. We used the 2018 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to compare patients with versus without thyroid disorders to determine differences in healthcare utilization and expenditures using a multivariate model controlling for demographic factors and comorbidities. The estimated prevalence (± standard error) of thyroid disorders in the US in 2018 was 19.8 ± 0.8 million adult patients. Patients diagnosed with thyroid disorders had 3 ± 0.5 more office visits/year and 9.2 ± 0.7 more prescription fills/year. The mean total healthcare expenditure per thyroid disorder patient/year was $14 548 ± $939 versus $11 438 ± $397 for patients without a thyroid disorder. The overall healthcare expenditure associated with thyroid disorders is estimated to be $61.5 billion in 2018. Thyroid disorders are associated with higher healthcare utilization and expenditure for both individual patients and the healthcare system.