News: COVID-19 hospitalizations estimated to cost $14k per patient

A study published in Health Affairs found that one symptomatic case of COVID-19 costs a median of $3,045 in direct medical costs incurred only during the course of the infection. If that case results in a hospitalization, however, the median cost jumps drastically to $14,366, and does not account for the follow-up care.

Costs of those with symptoms who do not require hospitalization may include ambulatory visits, telehealth appointments, and over-the-counter medications to help treat the condition. Those requiring hospitalization may incur various costs depending on the level of care and time spent in the facility.

Researchers used predictive models to estimate two different cost scenarios based on potential infection rates. Using this method, they found that if 20% of the United States population becomes infected with COVID-19, direct costs would reach $163.4 billion. If 80% get infected, direct costs could top $654 billion over the course of the pandemic.

While other groups, such as Covered California and America’s Health Insurance Plans, attempted to predict case costs, it is still unclear who will eventually end up paying for COVID-19 associated medial bills.

It is estimated that treatment for uninsured COVID-19 patients will likely cost between $13.9 billion and $41.8 billion, and with many Americans now losing jobs and employer-sponsored insurance, that cost could go up.

Editor’s note: The Health Affairs study can be found here. Information on uninsured COVID-19 patient costs can be found here.