Information showing below is provided by The National MS Society
A new study shows the average total cost of living with multiple sclerosis is $88,487 per year. The actual amount spent per year varies from person to person based on a number of factors including treatment option, daily life needs and health insurance coverage.
The Cost of MS
For the nearly 1 million people living with MS in the U.S., the annual economic burden — the cost to all of society, including individuals living with MS, government (federal, state and local), employers, health insurers and more — is $85.4 billion.
It will take all of us to lower the cost of MS. Get involved at nationalMSsociety.org/MSactivist.
The study estimates the annual U.S. economic cost of multiple sclerosis at more than $85.4 billion per year, underscoring what many people with MS know all too well – MS is a highly expensive disease. Direct medical costs such as doctor’s appointments and medications are the biggest contributor to the high cost of MS, with disease-modifying therapies (DMT) representing the single biggest cost of the disease. The study also factored indirect and non-medical costs, such as costs of daily living, early forced retirement, home modifications, and more. Care partners pay an average of $4,333 each year to provide care to someone living with MS.
Range of DMT Costs
The annual costs to individuals on an MS disease-modifying therapy ranged from $57,202 to $92,719, depending on their age and gender.
Addressing the Cost of Living with MS
While we’ve long understood the financial burden on people with MS and their families, this study highlights the far reaching and considerable cost of this disease on the entire U.S. economy and the real impact these costs have on people with MS, their families and care partners. It highlights the urgent need for policymakers and other stakeholders to help lower the cost of care and treatment of MS, a lifelong, chronic disease. To help lower the cost of MS, join our MS activist network.
Help Managing Your Expenses
If you are experiencing financial or employment challenges related to MS, the National MS Society can help connect you to the information, resources and support you need.
- Connect with an MS Navigator
- Get the Financial and Insurance Information you need
- Learn when and how to appeal an insurance decision
- Guide to prescription financial assistance
- Learn more about your employment rights and how to request accommodations
- Advocate for more affordable medication
Help for MS Healthcare Providers
MS medications can only change lives if people can afford them. When discussing a treatment plan with a person with MS, include financial considerations and resources in the conversation. Help ensure people with MS can take the most effective treatment path for them. Be and advocate and educate people about their options.
- Guide to prescription financial assistance
- Learn when and how to appeal an insurance decision
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