In 2005, Americans spent an estimated $11 billion treating allergies, according to figures from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This represented a substantial increase from the $6 billion spent on allergy care in 2000.
During that year, approximately 22 million Americans visited a doctor for allergy-related concerns, accounting for about $4 billion in healthcare costs. Prescription medications added another $7 billion. These figures include physician visits and prescription drugs but do not include over-the-counter medications, meaning total allergy-related spending was likely even higher.
Much of the increase in total cost was driven by rising per-person expenses. The average annual cost of allergy treatment increased from $350 per person in 2000 to $520 per person in 2005, reflecting both higher treatment intensity and rising healthcare costs overall.
