[4] 
The annual average proportion of the US population with a musculoskeletal condition requiring medical care has increased by more than six percentage points over the past two decades and now constitutes more than 34% of the population. This is an overall rate of increase of 21%. The majority of growth in both the proportion of the population, and in the number of people with a musculoskeletal condition is in the 45 to 64-year age bracket, with persons age 65 years and older with musculoskeletal conditions also rising. (Reference Table 8.1.1 PDF [1] CSV [2])
[4] In 2012 to 2014, the annual estimated direct and indirect cost attributable to persons with a musculoskeletal disease is $322 billion. Taking into account all costs for persons with a musculoskeletal disease including other co-morbid conditions, the cost of treating these individuals and the cost to society in the form of decreased wages is estimated to be nearly $980 billion per year. Over the last 18 years, costs associated with musculoskeletal conditions have risen from 3.44% of the GDP to 5.76%. (Reference Table 8.6.1 PDF [5] CSV [6]; Table 8.12 PDF [7] CSV [8]; and Table 8.14 PDF [9] CSV [10])
[12] Treatments that mitigate the long-term impacts of musculoskeletal conditions and return persons to full and active lives are needed.
The increasing prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions, along with a growing and aging population, has resulted in more than a 44% increase in total aggregate direct cost to treat persons with a musculoskeletal condition over the past decade (2002-2004 to 2012-2014), in constant 2014 dollars. For the years between 2012 and 2014, the annual average direct cost in 2014 dollars for musculoskeletal health care—both as a direct result of a musculoskeletal disease and for patients with a musculoskeletal disease in addition to other health issues—is estimated to be $980.1 billion, the equivalent of 5.76% of the national gross domestic product (GDP).
Total medical care costs are the costs for treating all of an individual’s conditions, including musculoskeletal conditions. Incremental medical care costs are that part of total medical care costs attributable solely to the musculoskeletal conditions. Incremental medical costs for musculoskeletal conditions for the years between 2012 and 2014 are estimated to be $162.4 billion, in 2014 dollars. (Reference Table 8.14 PDF [9] CSV [10], and Table 8.6.1 PDF [5] CSV [6])
Indirect costs measure disease impact in terms of lost wages due to disability or death. Indirect costs, like medical care costs, can be estimated and calculated in total for all the medical conditions an individual has, and as the increment attributable solely to musculoskeletal conditions.
Indirect cost for people age 18 to 64 with a work history add another $97.5 billion, or 0.5% of the GDP in between 2012 and 2014, to the cost for all persons with a musculoskeletal disease, either treated as a primary condition or in addition to another condition. Annual indirect costs attributable to musculoskeletal disease alone (incremental cost) account for an estimated $159.2 billion. Indirect costs attributable to musculoskeletal disease are greater than total indirect costs wage losses attributable to musculoskeletal conditions are greater than the mean difference in wages between the two groups, an indication that persons with musculoskeletal conditions work less than expected of persons their ages. (Reference Table 8.12 PDF [7] CSV [8])
Links:
[1] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_T8.1.1.pdf
[2] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_T8.1.1.csv
[3] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/file/bmuse4g1f01png
[4] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_G1.F.0.1.png
[5] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_T8.6.1.pdf
[6] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_T8.6.1.csv
[7] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_T8.12.pdf
[8] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_T8.12.csv
[9] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_T8.14.pdf
[10] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_T8.14.csv
[11] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/file/bmuse4g1f02png
[12] https://bmus.latticegroup.com/docs/bmus_e4_G1.F.0.2.png