America's heat crisis could send 237,000 people to the ER each year — and push medical costs past $1 billion by 2040

A new scientific study says America's worsening heat problem could soon become an even bigger public health emergency, one that may send more people to emergency rooms and hospitals each year.

The study concludes that by 2040, the number of heat-related hospitalizations and ER visits in a worst-case scenario would double to 237,000, resulting in rising health care costs that could top $1 billion nationwide.

One of the study's co-authors, Vivek Shandas, summed up the findings starkly, telling the Guardian, "There is this staggering cost to society we are going to see over the next 15 years."

What's happening?

The study was published Tuesday in the American Geophysical Union's journal GeoHealth, and, as the newspaper reported, it noted these heat-related effects are not expected to fall evenly across the country.

The analysis modeled several future pollution scenarios across 53 of the nation's largest metro areas, and the Guardian reported that California metro areas and Las Vegas were likely to post the most heat-related illnesses, while regions less accustomed to dangerous heat, including the Northeast and Ohio Valley, could be especially vulnerable during major heat events. 

Why does it matter?

Paying to stay cool via air conditioning is becoming a bigger challenge at the same time the danger is rising. The Guardian cited a report that found the typical U.S. household could pay close to $800 for electricity this summer, a little over 10% higher than last year, which could make it hard for families who cannot afford to keep their air conditioning running, especially older adults on fixed incomes. 

Heat can also cause heatstroke and push vulnerable people into already crowded emergency rooms, including older adults, people with existing medical conditions, and outdoor workers. 

As Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, put it, "When temperatures break records, utility bills often do too."

The broader toll is already severe. Extreme heat kills more people in the United States each year than floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters combined. Heat-related deaths have also climbed by over 50% in the past two decades, and this year has already brought the nation's hottest March on record. 

What can I do?

The study says many communities still are not prepared for extreme heat.

Shandas said many northern cities are "woefully unprepared" for extreme heat, as public health agencies face mounting strain and government programs meant to help cities respond have been cut back.

While high electric bills can make it hard to keep homes cool, preparing for heat waves can include planning for cooling by considering ultra-efficient technology such as a heat pump (which heats and cools a home), checking local heat alerts, avoiding outdoor activity during dangerous times, and recognizing the symptoms of heat illness, including confusion, slurred speech, nausea, and dizziness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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