Tags: costs of osteoarthritis | osteoarthritis

An article in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism reports that medical care for U.S. osteoarthritis patients costs $185.5 billion a year in 2007, according to a report in the Palm Beach Post.

The journal reported that $149.4 billion of the total cost was paid by insurers and $36.1 billion was paid out-of-pocket by patients.

Osteoarthritis costs insurers $4,833 a year per female patient and $4,036 per male patient, while women patients pay $1,379 a year and men pay $694 a year out-of-pocket.

Total costs are $118 billion for female patients and $67.5 billion for male patients.

Read the Palm Beach Post's report on osteoarthritis costs.