For all its benefits, nobody said cancer screening was going to be cheap. A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, endeavors to put a price tag on annual cancer screening in the U.S., and the total cost they came up with is approximately $43 billion in 2021.

The study, "The Annual Cost of Cancer Screening in the United States," focuses on screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers. The analysis used national health care survey data to calculate the costs, which are primarily borne by private insurance (88.3%), followed by Medicare (8.5%), and Medicaid or other government programs (3.2%).

Colorectal cancer screening, particularly colonoscopy, was the most significant cost driver, accounting for approximately 64% of the total expense. The study emphasizes that facility costs, including payments to the locations where screenings occur, were substantial contributors to these figures.
The authors note that understanding the cost structure of cancer screening is crucial for informing policy and improving access to these preventive services, which align with broader public health goals such as the U.S. government's Cancer Moonshot initiative. Despite the high costs, screening is generally viewed as a cost-effective measure that reduces cancer mortality and the need for more extensive treatment.

"The $43 billion estimated annual cost for initial cancer screening in the United States in 2021 is less than the reported annual cost of cancer treatment in the United States in the first 12 months after diagnosis," they conclude. "Identification of cancer screening costs and their drivers is critical to help inform policy and develop programmatic priorities, particularly for enhancing access to recommended cancer screening services."

The study, authored by Dr. Michael T. Halpern, and colleagues, also highlights limitations like the reliance on self-reported data and the exclusion of follow-up costs for abnormal screening results, which could mean that the actual costs are even higher. Despite these limitations, the research provides valuable insights into the economic impact of cancer screening on the U.S. healthcare system.

The full study can be accessed here.

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