A new report released on March 26, 2026, by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) shows that the annual economic impact of Parkinson’s disease and atypical parkinsonisms in the United States reached $82.2 billion in 2024 — surpassing earlier projections by more than a decade. Approximately 1.2 million people live with Parkinson’s and related conditions in the United States today.
The report, The Economic Burden of Parkinson’s Disease and Atypical Parkinsonisms in the United States, builds on a 2019 study that estimated the annual cost at $52 billion as of 2017, and projected costs would reach $79 billion by 2037 — a level already exceeded by 2024. Costs are now projected to rise further, reaching more than $112 billion per year by 2045.
“Behind these data are millions of people — patients, families and care partners — navigating the daily realities of Parkinson’s, including a growing financial strain that touches every part of their lives,” said Debi Brooks, MJFF’s chief executive officer and co-founder.
Costs to Patients and Families Extend Well Beyond Medical Care
Of the total $82.2 billion, $23.8 billion is attributed to direct medical expenses such as hospitalizations, outpatient care and medications. The larger share — $58.4 billion — comes from indirect and non-medical costs, including lost income, disability expenses and unpaid care partnering.
Nearly 40 percent of people living with Parkinson’s relied on unpaid care in 2024, often provided by a spouse, family member or friend. The report also found that more than 20 percent of care partners retired or worked fewer hours at their job, and 34 percent canceled or missed their own routine health care visits. These changes accounted for $8.3 billion in lost earnings and productivity in a single year.
People living with Parkinson’s also experienced added costs before receiving a diagnosis. On average, individuals incurred more than $10,000 in additional medical expenses in the year prior to diagnosis, reflecting the often complex, lengthy or uncertain diagnostic journey.
“My wife and I have had to realign how we live now, and our plans and ambitions for the future,” said Phil Stelzer, who has lived with early-onset Parkinson’s disease since 2023. “We try to save more, expecting to have to rely on those savings sooner in life, but fighting Parkinson’s disease is also expensive, which cuts into what we can save. It's been a complete change to our traditional retirement planning and investments.”
Federal Programs Bear a Significant Share of Direct Costs
The cost of Parkinson’s care is also significant for the federal government: 90 percent of direct medical expenses are covered by Medicare and Medicaid. When combined with disability-related costs, federal spending on Parkinson’s and related conditions exceeded $25 billion in 2024.
This report comes on the heels of the recent 2026 Parkinson’s Policy Forum in Washington, D.C., where 300 advocates — including people living with Parkinson’s, care partners, researchers and organizational leaders — met with more than 240 congressional offices to urge action on:
- Increasing Parkinson’s research funding at the National Institutes of Health
- Addressing environmental risk factors, including supporting a ban on the Parkinson’s-linked herbicide paraquat and cosponsoring the HEALTHY BRAINS Act
- Fully implementing the National Parkinson’s Project, a federal initiative to better treat, diagnose and ultimately prevent and cure Parkinson’s
These policy priorities — which are backed by broad bipartisan voter support — can help drive scientific discoveries and reduce preventable environmental exposures that increase Parkinson’s risk. Stronger policy action today will ultimately reduce costs for federal programs tomorrow.
A More Complete Picture
The latest report expands on the previous 2019 analysis by capturing a wider range of costs, including unpaid caregiving, productivity loss and pre-diagnosis expenses. It also includes, for the first time, detailed estimates of atypical parkinsonisms — such as progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy and dementia with Lewy bodies — which affect an estimated 122,000 people in the United States.
Researchers drew on multiple national data sources, including Medicare and commercial claims data, as well as a community impact survey, to assess both prevalence and economic impact.
The study was commissioned and published by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research with support from nonprofit sponsors: the Parkinson’s Foundation, the American Parkinson Disease Association and CurePSP, and from industry sponsors: AbbVie and Acadia Pharmaceuticals.
Take Action Today
The report's findings highlight the importance of increased investment in research and advocacy to deliver the breakthroughs patients and families urgently deserve.
“Our north star is clear: accelerate new treatments and cures,” said Debi Brooks. “Investing in research now is a strategic, forward-looking commitment that can ease pressure on families and lower long-term costs for federal programs and health care systems.”
You can help drive progress by taking action during Parkinson’s Awareness Month in April. Whether you choose to get involved by joining a study, donating to power research or raising your hand as a policy advocate — your action helps get us closer to a future without Parkinson’s disease.