Autoimmune Disease Impact Report Save

Integrated Benefit Institute, a nonprofit independent research organization, has published its 2025 Autoimmune Disease Impact Report, which examines the health and productivity impacts of five prevalent and costly autoimmune conditions: rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, psoriasis, and thyroid autoimmune disorders.

The report draws data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ’s) Medical, Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), IBI’s Health and Productivity Benchmarking System, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program and National Compensation Survey.

Key Takeaways:

• Autoimmune diseases now affect roughly 50 million Americans
• For every 1,000 U.S. employees, these five autoimmune conditions drive roughly $580,000 in excess and potentially avoidable healthcare costs and lost work time from sickness and disability. 
• Prevalence: 7.2 percent of surveyed employed adults received treatment for one of five researched autoimmune conditions. 
• Comorbid Conditions: Mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, are among the most common and significant comorbidities in individuals with autoimmune conditions (see below) 
• Disparities: The incidence of autoimmune conditions among women is twice that of men overall. Racial and ethnic disparities contribute to variations in the prevalence and outcomes of autoimmune conditions. 
• Excess Costs: Excess medical and pharmacy treatment costs for employees with autoimmune conditions range from $2,200 to $33,500 per year.  Autoimmune conditions can cost employers up to 6X more in medical and prescription medication costs, and up to 16x more for prescription medications alone
• Short-Term Disability: The average lost work days due to short-term disability for patients with certain autoimmune diseases represent approximately 73 calendar days per year, costing employers as much as $27,000 per patient in economic value
• Long-Term Disability Claims: The average lost work days due to long-term disability for patients with certain autoimmune conditions represent approximately 287 calendar days per year, costing employers $82,000 per claimant