Ccost for treatments of back and neck problems ... increase 65% ... not observe improvements in health outcomes commensurate with the increasing costs

Back and neck problems more costly now than ever | By Sue Mueller | Feb 13, 2008 - 12:01:04 PM

WEDNESDAY FEB 13, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- The medical cost for diagnosing and treating back and neck problems has jumped faster than the general medical expenditures during the past decade, but the increase apparently has not resulted in an health status that matches the magnitude of the increased cost, according to a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

The cost for treatments of back and neck problems in the United States reached $86 billion in 2005, a 65 percent increase from 1997 after adjusting the inflation, the New York Times reported. In the meantime, the proportion of people with impaired function due to back and neck problems increased drastically during the same period even after the aging factor was considered.
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Among others, the cost for drugs has increased much faster than others. In 2005, US adults spent an estimated $20 billions on drugs for treating back and neck problems, an increase of 171 percent from 1997, according to the New York Times. The cost for some narcotic pain relievers such as OxyContin and others increased more than 400%. ...
Albeit the sharp increase in medical expenditures for treating back and neck problems, the rate of people with spine problems who reported to have physical function limitations due to the conditions increased to 24.7 percent in 2005 from 20.7 percent in 1997.

"These data suggest that spine problems are expensive, due both to large numbers of affected persons and to high costs per person. We did not observe improvements in health outcomes commensurate with the increasing costs over time. Spine problems may offer opportunities to reduce expenditures without associated worsening of clinical outcomes," the researchers conclude.