Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating condition with a variable course. Not uncommonly, IPF patients are hospitalized for respiratory-related causes, including disease worsening. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence, and economic and health care burden of IPF. Methods Retrospective insurance claims data collected yearly between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011, were used to determine prevalence and calculate all-cause and respiratory-related resource utilization and costs. Patients had at least one inpatient claim or two outpatient claims for IPF (ICD-9-CM code 516.3). Results for health care burden are reported for the 2011 cohort (similar findings in 2009–2010). Costs are reported in 2011 US dollars ().ResultsPatientswithIPFhadameanageof69.8–71.3years.OverallprevalenceforIPFwas28.8,28.1and19.8per100,000insuredpersonsin2009,2010and2011.Ineachyear,prevalenceincreasedwithage.In2011,37.7%ofpatientswerehospitalizedatleastonceforanycause;19.5%forrespiratory-relatedreasons.Alsoin2011,themeannumberofall-causeoutpatientvisitsandrespiratory-relatedofficevisitswas18.5and5.7perpatient,respectively.All-causehealthcarecostsin2011were 59,379 per patient; 36.6% of costs (21,732)wererespiratoryrelated.ConclusionsTheprevalenceofIPFinthisclaimsdatabaseincreasedwithage,withanotableincreaseinthoseover65years.IPFisassociatedwithalargeeconomicandhealthcareburden.Additionalresearchisneededtodeterminehowsuchburdenmightbereduced.