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Monday, August 01, 2011

USC Report: Tackling Chronic Conditions Can Save Billions

A new report by researchers from the University of Southern California's Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, Harvard University's School of Public Health and RAND suggests that reducing the rates of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure among middle-age U.S. adults could save Medicare and Medicaid as much as $632 billion by 2050. The report -- published this month in the journal Social Science & Medicine -- also suggests that addressing these chronic conditions could raise life expectancy. The researchers noted that the health status of people in their 50s plays a key role in their medical needs and costs of care.

Reader Comments:
  • 3
  • 08/10/2011
  • Robert Forster

Obesity is not a disease state but accounts for the majority of their projected "savings." Culture/behavior of Americans need to change--since obesity causes HTN and DM II. Treating HTN and DM actually reduces healthcare costs short term but ultimately like tobacco cessation programs costs more over the life cycle of the patient and to tax payers. I know this is counter intuitive, but true. 85% of healthcare costs occur during last 18mo.s of life, prolonging life does not avoid these costs and exposes Americans to more costs in the mean time. It is however, the moral right decision to treat--but it costs more ultimately. The analysis is naive. Half truths.

  • 2
  • 08/08/2011
  • Judith Gould

I heartily agree! In my experience, approx. 30% of heart failure patients seen in an outpatient clinic suffered from diabetes, and approx. 20% of end stage HF patients were undernourished. In a four year pilot program done in the late 1990's, readmissions for heart failure were reduced from 68 to 4 in patients managed by a PA and followed by a registered dietitian and social worker.
Judy Gould, MA, MS, RD

  • 1
  • 08/01/2011
  • julie olguin-molina

access to multi-disciplinary care i.e. to registered dietitians would improve health
outcomes and save billions of dollars.



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