Medical Advances Extend Healthy Lifespans, But Costs Remain High

February 25, 2026 – Seattle, Wash. – Over two decades, improvements in medical care have increased health spans in the U.S. By 1.3 years, while simultaneously increasing lifetime medical spending by an average of $234,000 per person – equating to roughly $182,000 for each additional healthy year of life gained. These are key findings from a recent, in-depth national study published today in Value in Health.

Researchers examined how advancements in medical care impacted health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) and lifetime healthcare spending by analyzing changes in 132 causes of disease across all ages between 1996 and 2016. The analysis represents the most comprehensive assessment to date of the returns on rising medical costs in the United States.

Spending and Health Gains: A Mixed Picture

“These findings highlight that the problem isn’t simply how much the nation spends on healthcare, but where those dollars go and what they achieve,” said senior author Marcia Weaver, PhD, Research Professor at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

The study revealed that bolstering healthcare resources for approximately 60% of conditions – including ischemic heart disease, stroke, and HIV/AIDS – yielded substantial health gains at relatively modest costs. For example, improved medications, devices, and emergency care for ischemic heart disease added a quarter of a healthy year, on average, across all Americans, at a cost of about $63,000 per healthy year gained. Notably, HIV/AIDS treatments produced one of the largest increases in survival and quality of life at a very low spending of $9,300 per healthy year gained, making them a cost-effective investment.

The most favorable outcomes occurred when HALE increased and lifetime spending decreased, a scenario observed for 19 causes (14%), including breast cancer. These cost-saving advances in screening and treatment increased people’s health span while reducing lifetime costs, reflecting a shift toward less invasive and more effective care.

Areas of Concern and Cost Inefficiency

Conversely, HALE and lifetime spending decreased for seven causes (5%), such as alcohol use disorders. HALE decreased for 26 causes (20%) as lifetime spending increased, as seen with chronic kidney disease and drug use disorders. Drug use disorders, in particular, substantially worsened the overall value of U.S. Healthcare during the study period.

“Disease-level spending estimates provide a foundation for identifying patterns in health care spending and understanding how those patterns relate to health outcomes,” said co-author Abe Dunn, PhD, Assistant Chief Economist at the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Researchers also found that spending often increased early in life, with health improvements manifesting years or decades later. Recalculating the value of healthcare starting at age 65 reduced the cost per healthy year gained to approximately $92,000, about half the $182,000 estimate calculated from birth. This highlights how early investments in prevention and treatment can yield long-term benefits, especially for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Key Findings: Health Impact and Costs

Here’s a summary of the changes in healthy years (HALE) and lifetime healthcare spending for specific illnesses or injuries:

• All causes: +1.285 years HALE, +$234,111 lifetime spending, $182,201 per healthy year gained
• HIV/AIDS: +0.265 years HALE, +$2,470 lifetime spending, $9,315 per healthy year gained
• Ischemic heart disease: +0.250 years HALE, +$15,816 lifetime spending, $63,184 per healthy year gained
• Diabetes: +0.234 years HALE, +$6,880 lifetime spending, $29,355 per healthy year gained
• Stroke: +0.197 years HALE, +$89 lifetime spending, $451 per healthy year gained
• Lower respiratory infections: +0.069 years HALE, +$1,492 lifetime spending, $21,738 per healthy year gained
• Road injuries: +0.069 years HALE, +$6,183 lifetime spending, $89,064 per healthy year gained
• Alzheimer’s disease: +0.041 years HALE, +$7,564 lifetime spending, $185,623 per healthy year gained
• Neonatal preterm birth: +0.040 years HALE, +$4,857 lifetime spending, $120,890 per healthy year gained
• Exposure to mechanical forces: +0.037 years HALE, +$4,478 lifetime spending, $89,064 per healthy year gained
• Gynecological diseases: +0.035 years HALE, +$1,818 lifetime spending, $52,663 per healthy year gained
• Tracheal, bronchus, &amp. lung cancer: +0.027 years HALE, +$860 lifetime spending, $31,711 per healthy year gained
• Breast cancer: +0.025 years HALE, -$669 lifetime spending, N/A per healthy year gained
• Asthma: +0.025 years HALE, +$1,522 lifetime spending, $61,894 per healthy year gained
• Chronic kidney disease: -0.161 years HALE, +$6,234 lifetime spending, N/A per healthy year gained
• Alcohol use disorders: -0.014 years HALE, -$180 lifetime spending, N/A per healthy year gained
• Drug use disorders: -0.331 years HALE, +$37,512 lifetime spending, N/A per healthy year gained

Implications for Healthcare Policy

The results suggest that efforts to control healthcare costs should prioritize improving access to care for conditions and interventions that deliver meaningful health improvements, rather than implementing across-the-board spending cuts. Further research and innovation are needed for conditions that drive high costs without corresponding improvements in health.

“Better alignment of spending with health outcomes could significantly improve the overall value of U.S. Healthcare, ultimately saving lives, improving quality of life, and making more effective use of limited resources,” concluded Prof. Weaver.

For interview requests, journalists can contact IHME’s media team at media@ihme.org.