The present study estimated healthcare costs of osteoporotic fractures including spine, hip, distal radius and humerus in Koreans over 50 years of age using national claims data.

Korea National Health Insurance data between 2008 and 2011 was searched for all claims records of outpatient visits or hospital admissions of patients ≥50-year-of-age. Osteoporosis-related fractures were identified using certain the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes and site-specific physician claims for procedures in a patient age cut-off value of 50 years. The healthcare costs included acute phase costs accounting for emergency medical care given immediately after fracture, costs due to further hospitalization and surgical procedures, physiotherapy sessions according to the site of the fracture, and outpatient visits in the year after discharge.

The total estimated healthcare costs of osteoporotic fractures in 2011 was $722 million. From 2008 to 2011, the total number and healthcare costs of osteoporotic fractures increased 28.9% (from 127,070 to 163,823) and 31.6% (from $549 million to $722 million), respectively. The portion of national health care expenditure was ranged from 2.3% in 2008 to 2.2% in 2011. The mean healthcare cost of osteoporotic fractures per person increased 2.1% from $4,321 in 2008 to $4,410 in 2011.The mean healthcare costs were highest for hip fractures followed by spine, humerus, and distal radius fractures.

Total Healthcare costs of osteoporotic fractures in South Koreans ≥50-year-of-age increased between 2008 and 2011. This trend will likely continue, which is an important health problem in the elderly population and economically.