Chronic Health Conditions Plus Depression Equals Higher Medical Costs

OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire Strategic Health Care News People with one or more of 11 chronic health conditions and depression have higher medical costs than people without depression. The per-person difference in medical costs ranged from a low of $1,570 more for obese people with depression to $15,240 for depressed people with congestive heart failure. Median outpatient costs and median pharmaceutical costs were higher for people with depression and chronic conditions. Inpatient costs were higher for people with depression and coronary artery disease, epilepsy, and congestive heart failure; for other chronic conditions inpatient costs were similar . . .