Epilepsy is common among elderly individuals, and health care expenditures among this growing group are 2 times higher than in those without epilepsy, according to a recent study. Researchers performed an analysis of weighted 37,738,607 US participants aged 65 years to estimate health care expenditures in the elderly with and without epilepsy using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, with 2003‐2014 data. They found:

• 416,496 (1.1%) older individuals with epilepsy were identified.
• Comorbidities were more prevalent among older individuals with epilepsy vs younger individuals.
• Mean unadjusted yearly medical cost of epilepsy in elderly patients with epilepsy was $18,712 during the pooled period 2003‐2014, which was nearly double the equivalent cost in elderly subjects without epilepsy at $10,168.
• Mean unadjusted annual medical cost of epilepsy in the elderly increased by $2,135 from $15,850 in 2003‐2006 to $17,985 in 2011‐2014.
• Adjusted incremental health care costs associated with epilepsy in the elderly accrued by $4,595 when compared to elderly subjects without epilepsy.
• The mean annual aggregate cost of epilepsy was estimated at $7.8 billion to the US population.