COPD Trends Brief - Burden | American Lung Association

Hospitalizations

From 2000 to 2015, the COPD hospitalization rate did not change on average year to year.
In 2020, there were more than 335,000 COPD hospitalizations, or 101.3 per 100,000 population.
From 2016 to 2020, the COPD hospitalization rate decreased an average of 15 percentage points per year.
The decrease in 2020 was presumably due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent avoidance of and limited capacity in healthcare facilities.

Emergency Department Visits

From 2006 to 2014, the COPD emergency department visit rate increased an average of 4 percentage points per year.
In 2020, there were 925,000 COPD emergency department visits, or 279.1 per 100,000 population.
From 2016 to 2020, the COPD emergency department visit rate decreased an average of 8 percentage points per year.

Medical Cost

The medical cost of COPD is $24.0 billion each year among adults 45 years of age and older, including $11.9 billion in prescription drug costs, $6.3 billion in inpatient costs, $2.4 billion in office-based costs, $1.6 billion in home health costs, $900 million in emergency room costs, and $800 million in outpatient costs.
COPD medical costs are $4,322 per patient each year on average.
Average COPD medical costs per year increased 72% from 2000 to 2018, including an increase in prescription drug costs of eight times.

Sources

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. HCUPnet, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, 2000-2020.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, 2021. Analysis by the American Lung Association Epidemiology and Statistics Unit using SPSS software.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. CDC WONDER On-line Database, compiled from Underlying Cause of Death 1999-2021, 2023.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey, 1999-2022. Analysis by the American Lung Association Research and Program Services Division using SPSS software.

Shah CH, Reed RM, Wastila L, Onukwugha E, Gopalakrishnan M, Zafari Z. Direct Medical Costs of COPD in the USA: An Analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2017–2018. Applied Health Economics and Health Policy. 2023; DOI: 10.1007/s40258-023-00814-8.

Tilert T, Dillon C, Paulose-Ram R, et al. Estimating the U.S. Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Using Pre- and Post-Bronchodilator Spirometry: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010. Respiratory Research. 2013; 14(1):103.

United States Census Bureau. Population Estimates, 2009.

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