The total economic burden of MS in the United States in 2019 was $85.4 billion, according to a study published in Neurology. Bruce Bebo, PhD, and colleagues made the estimate using a prevalence-based approach and claims from three sources to obtain direct costs, with indirect costs collected from a survey completed by 946 patients with MS (PwMS). The total economic burden included direct medical costs of $63.3 billion and indirect and non-medical costs of $22.1 billion. The largest components of direct costs were retail prescription medications, clinic-administered medications, and outpatient care (54%, 12%, and 9%, respectively). For PwMS, average excess per-person annual medical costs were $65,612; disease-modifying therapies (DMT) accounted for the largest proportion, at $35,154 per person. Per DMT user, the cost ranged from $57,202 to $92,719. Average indirect and non-medical costs were $18,542 per PwMS and $22,875 per PwMS if caregivers’ costs were included.
