LANSING — The Michigan Primary Care Consortium Thursday released, “The Business Case for Full Adult Immunization in Michigan,” uncovered nearly $495 million in annual economic costs in Michigan associated with failure to immunize against pneumonia and influenze, including costs from emergency room visits and specialty medical care to lost productivity, absenteeism and related costs.
The report found that for every dollar spent on adult immunizations, nearly twenty dollars are saved in the workplace and on hospital stays, physician visits, and other more expensive and lengthy treatments for patients who have contracted diseases that would have been easily prevented with simple, low-cost vaccinations.
“Failure to fully immunize Michigan adults has a staggering impact on Michigan job makers and the state’s economy,” said Joseph Fortuna, M.D., vice chairman of the Michigan Primary Care Consortium (MPCC).  “Vaccine-preventable diseases like pneumonia and the flu continue to ravage adults across the state, resulting in the need for expensive treatments and hospital visits while driving down workplace productivity.  Adult immunizations can save lives and boost the economy, but only if they are used.”