Annual Healthcare Costs in the Billions. A Penny for Your Thoughts...
Type 2 diabetes is ranked at number seven of the ten most expensive medical conditions in the United States.
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the number one spot goes to heart conditions at $76 billion in 2005. High blood pressure, occupying the sixth most expensive position totaled $42 billion while Type 2 diabetes cost $34 billion dollars.
The AHRQ figured these totals from the money that people paid for all aspects of care, including prescription medications, doctor visits, outpatient services, hospitalizations, ER visits, and home healthcare.
Very often people with type 2 diabetes also have chronic heart conditions and high blood pressure, giving them a triple whammy in medical management costs.
What are your thoughts on healthcare costs in this country? Drop me a comment at the end of this article or email at diabetes.guide@about.com.
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Comments
I think the insurance companies should be ashamed for how diabetics are treated. I keep diabetes under control with diet, exercise and medication. Never have I had an experience because of the disease. Blue Cross and Blue Shield 3 years ago charged me $725 a month for insurance with a $2500 deductible. This is crazy. If I had a history of hospitalization etc that would be different. Due to the cost I have no insurance. BCBS is the only company who will insure Diabetics.
Although it will take a while to catch on, the insurance carriers are talking about ‘differential premiums’ for those who take care of themselves vs those who don’t. Like it or not, if you don’t take the steps necessary to self-manage a disease you are more likely to cost everyone more. So, I’m in favor of it. We developed automated self-care technology and programs to make this self-care easier and it may be a necessary part of verifying compliance thus allowing those people who practice positive behaviors to pay a reasonable premium.
We have the same problem here in Scotland, we are known as the sick man of Europe and cost the NHS billions every year, this down to our diet of battered fish and chips, fry ups and alcohol to wash it all down with.