Winter Illness Outbreaks Cost Americans Thousands

Hospitalizations this winter for flu, COVID and other respiratory illnesses have jumped as more Americans spend time indoors and risks of the spread of viruses increases during the colder months.

Data shows that COVID-related hospitalizations are at nearly 9 patients per 100,000, which is the highest in almost a year, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention as of December 23. Meanwhile, 4.5 people out of 100,000 patients were hospitalized for influenza during that time span, also the highest figure in almost a year.

The respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, also forced some Americans to the hospital, though the number dropped toward the end of December from the previous month.

Americans getting sick during this time can be costly.

American households spent $645 on over-the-counter treatment in 2022, according to a study by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA). About 45 percent of American adults reported coughs, cold and flu-like symptoms, with about 71.5 percent turning to over-the-counter medications to alleviate their ailments.

"CHPA estimates that there were over 105 million consumer visits to healthcare professionals for cough, cold, and/or flu symptoms during the same period," a spokesperson from the organization told Newsweek in a statement.

It's unclear how much Americans who require time at a hospital this winter for the seasonal respiratory illnesses are spending.

But last year's data provides a glimpse into the amounts Americans may be forking over on such hospitalizations. Average costs for flu hospitalizations and doctor's visits was estimated at $10 billion, according to a 2022 analysis by WedMD.

For RSV, a 2019 study found that the mean total costs for hospitalization for the illness was $1.3 billion, according to The American Journal of Managed Care.

A recent study found that in 2020, COVID hospitalizations cost more than $41,000 on average for patients, with about $1,200 average out-of-pocket payment for some people with large employers. But this was partly because in 2020, health insurers and companies waived some out-of-pocket costs.

"Out-of-pocket average costs for inpatient COVID-19 treatment in 2021 and 2022 are likely to be higher than in 2020, as these voluntary waivers became uncommon," according to the KFF-Peterson Health System Tracker.

"For COVID-19 hospitalizations with some cost-sharing expense, an average of $1,880 was spent out-of-pocket by individuals with large employer coverage, though COVID-19 hospitalization costs vary widely for patients with private insurance," KFF said last year based on 2020 data.

KFF noted that treatments for the disease may have changed since to exploded around the world in early 2020.