80 Billion Goes to Provide Diabetes Care in the US
PR Newswire today has an interesting read about a study recently done that shows how 80 Billion dollars of the federal governments money goes to treat people with diabetes. The staggering number shows just how large of a scourge is afoot.
There are approximately 20 million diabetics in the united states and that number is supposed to double by 2025. The cost of diabetes is certainly not going to go down if no steps are taken to change the system.
Again I think this is where some alternative treatments could bring that cost down. If people were not just prescribed drugs to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, etc and were instead given a personal trainer and some vitamins/supplements I think the associated health risks for diabetes related problems would drop and the diabetes related spending as well. The thinking needs to shift away from allowing people to think pills will solve their problem, away from spending monies on finding a “cure” (at least for type 2 diabetics. It is still worthwhile to find a cure for type 1, it is an autoimmune disease), and move towards finding ways to get people motivated, healthy and interested in taking steps to reduce side effects of diabetes.
I wish doctors would prescribe personal trainers and salads as opposed to Avandia.