Total medical care expenditures for musculoskeletal diseases are disproportionately higher for persons 65 years of age or older, with a per-person cost of $11,708 in 2009 to 2011 compared to a per-person cost of $3,288 for persons less than 18 years, $4,658 for those 18 to 44 years, and $8,658 for those 45 to 64 years. (Reference Table 10.9 PDF CSV)

Although in the years 1996-1998, mean incremental costs for musculoskeletal disease were highest for the oldest cohort, age 65 years and older, by 1998 to 2000 costs for those ages 44 to 64 years were the highest. They have remained so since that time, and in 2009 to 2011 were 20% higher for this age group than the age 65 years and over group. (Reference Table 10.9 PDF CSV and Table 10.10 PDF CSV)