More Illness Greater Cost Spotlight Brief Heat Emergencies

This Spotlight Brief demonstrates the estimated health and economic impacts of a summer heat wave. For one state, a heat wave lasting five days could cause 300 deaths and 4,000 heat-related emergency department visits and preventable hospitalizations. Those impacts could generate approximately $870 million in total costs, including $48 million in medical costs. This brief describes related challenges and potential solutions and provides links to related resources.