Cost of Treating Diabetes Soars
According to a study released by the HHS" Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of diabetics and the cost for treating the disease have both surged during the time period studied - 1996-2003.
The study states that the number of patients in the US diagnosed with diabetes rose from 9.9 million to 13.7 million (a 38% increase) while the cost for treatment, adjusted for inflation, nearly doubled to an annual rate of $1,714 per patient. More than 50% of the cost of treating diabetes is the cost of prescription drugs. The average person spent $476 in 1996 on medications and spent $883 in 2003.
Other Study Findings:
The report also found that hospitals spent 20% of their total expenditures on treating 6 million hospital stays of patients diagnosed with diabetes.
The overall cost for care of patients with diabetes - including treatment in all settings and for other illnesses associated with the disease - averaged more than $10,000 annually.
Diabetes patients were hospitalized longer than other patients - most likely contributing to the higher cost associated with treating diabetic patients.
For more information, go to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's home page at http://www.ahrq.gov/
Annie Austin - Annie Austin is a freelance writer/producer working primarily in the advertising and marketing field. She's worked with hospitals, ...
