A new analysis from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine reveals the financial costs of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea as well as the costs of treatment and diagnosis.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) released a new analysis, titled “Hidden health crisis costing America billions,” that reveals the staggering cost of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea.
Frost & Sullivan estimates that OSA afflicts 29.4 million American men and women, which represents 12% of the US adult population. They also calculated that diagnosing and treating every patient in the US who has sleep apnea would produce an annual economic savings of $100.1 billion.
Frost & Sullivan calculated that the annual economic burden of undiagnosed sleep apnea among US adults is approximately $149.6 billion. The estimated costs include $86.9 billion in lost productivity, $26.2 billion in motor vehicle accidents and $6.5 billion in workplace accidents. Untreated sleep apnea also increases the risk of costly health complications such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and depression. The report estimates that undiagnosed sleep apnea also costs $30 billion annually in increased healthcare utilization and medication costs related to these comorbid health risks.
