Rising Cost of Diabetes Care
Abstract
The rate of rise in cost of diabetes care has been exponential in the last several years. The American Diabetes Association has estimated in 2013 an increase of 41% over a five year period. The study Economic Costs of Diabetes in the US in 2012 addresses increased financial burden, health resources used and lost productivity associated with diabetes in 2012. The largest components of medical expenditure are hospital inpatient care (43% of the total medical cost), prescription medications to treat the complications of diabetes (18%), anti-diabetes drugs and diabetes supplies (12%), physician office visits, and nursing/residential facility stays (8%). People with diagnosed diabetes incur nearly 13,700 dollars/year of which 7,900 dollars is directly for diabetes. People with diagnosed diabetes spend about 2.3 times more for health than nondiabetics. Indirect costs include increased absenteeism, reduced productivity while at work, reduced productivity for those not working, inability to work due to disease related disability, and lost productivity due to early mortality. A notable finding was that patients with no insurance had 79% less physician visits,68% less prescription drugs and 55% more emergency room visits than patients with insurance cover. The study could not assess the impact of pain and suffering, the cost of services provided by non-paid caregivers and the cost impact of undiagnosed diabetes. Similar data in the Indian national level is not so comprehensive.
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