Blog Posts

The Real Impact of Chronic Diseases in America

A recent poll shows that a majority of people aren’t aware that over half of all Americans are affected by a chronic disease or of the economic impact it has in our country.

 

When thinking about illnesses that impact a person’s health, we often think of common ones such as a cold. For most people, the symptoms and illnesses are typically infrequent and inexpensive to treat. However, what financial burden do Americans experience when they have an illness for an extended period of time? What is the associated cost to manage an illness whose symptoms might come and go for years, requiring constant treatment? 

The majority of Americans are aware that the term “chronic disease” includes conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma and mental health illnesses. However, few are cognizant of the sheer number of people affected by these diseases. In a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, participants were questioned about their knowledge of people living with chronic diseases. Of the participants, only 29 percent were correct to assume that “more than half” of all Americans currently live with a chronic disease. In addition, a majority of the participants were unaware that “more than three-quarters” of the U.S. healthcare budget is spent treating chronic diseases.

 

 

With this data, it’s apparent that most Americans have an inaccurate idea of the effect chronic diseases have on the people of our nation. To uncover the true impact, we’ll look at the three most prevalent chronic diseases within the United States: cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease.  

Cardiovascular Disease 

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has, for many decades, remained the number one killer of Americans. CVD continues to be an issue in our nation, largely due to the growing obesity epidemic, poor diet and a rise in Type 2 diabetes. The disease itself represents several chronic conditions related to the heart and blood vessels such as high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation and stroke. In the United States, over 102.7 million people have at least one of these conditions. Its projected that by 2035, that number will rise to 131.2 million, which will represent about 45 percent of the total U.S population.  

Not only is CVD pervasive, it’s costly. Expenses regarding this disease include medical services via a physician, hospital and/or healthcare system. It also represents corresponding costs such as prescription drugs, home health or nursing home care. With its wide-spread impact in America, cardiovascular disease totaled $555 billion in 2016, making it the most expensive disease to treat. 

Diabetes 

Diabetes is not only a major chronic disease, but is also a contributing factor to the rising number of CVD victims. In America, 30.3 million people live with this disease, in addition to 84.1 million prediabetic adults. Individually, it’s estimated that diagnosed diabetics have medical expenditures 2.3 times higher than those without. In 2017 the national estimated cost of diagnosed patients was $327 billion. This total included $237 billion in direct medical costs and $90 billion in indirect costs such as absenteeism and reduced productivity. Overall, diabetes has increased economic costs by 26 percent within the past five years.  

A contributing issue to both cardiovascular disease and diabetes is the rising epidemic of obesity among Americans. In 2017, the prevalence of adult obesity was greater than 20 percent across every state and over 30 percent in the South and Midwest regions. 

Chronic Respiratory Disease 

As for chronic respiratory disease, three-quarters of the Kaiser Family Foundation’s poll participants were aware that asthma is a chronic disease. However, asthma is only one of the chronic conditions that obstruct airflow and breathing. Chronic respiratory disease is a general term used to group diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma. Of these, COPD is the third most common cause of death in the U.S. It’s understood that over 12 million Americans have COPD, but up to 24 million have relatively impaired lung function.  

The primary risk factor is smoking, but also includes occupational dust and chemicals, air pollution and family medical history. For many individuals with progressive COPD, end stages include worsening respiratory symptoms that limit the patient’s ability to perform daily tasks or even rest without exacerbation. The cost of this disease can add up quickly, often causing 1 in 5 hospitalized patients to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of their release.  

 

Together, these three chronic diseases make up the nation’s top killers and consume a vast portion of the healthcare budget each year. Without innovative treatment, goals and intervention plans, these diseases will continue to burden the economic climate and reduce patient’s quality of life. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated a Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) like these we’ve discussed. The targets of this initiative include: 

  1. Reduce deaths from NCDs by 25 percent before 2025
  2. Reduce the prevalence of tobacco use in individuals older than 15 years-of-age by 30 percent 
  3. Reduce the prevalence of insufficient physical activity by 10 percent.  

These are just a handful of target goals that can improve lives and limit the negative impact of chronic diseases in America. What can you do to improve these conditions? If you are a Health Insurance Broker or Benefits Agent interested in providing unlimited chronic disease management for the three diseases listed above, give Healthcare2U a call today.

share this post

Other Posts You Might Like

  • Blog Posts

    The Importance of Chronic Disease Management: Experience the DPC Difference
  • Blog Posts

    Discover the Benefits of Concierge Medicine for Personalized Healthcare
  • Blog Posts

    How Can Lifestyle Changes Affect Chronic Disease Management? Breaking Down the Benefits.
  • Blog Posts

    What is Acute Care? How Direct Primary Care Makes Urgent Healthcare Affordable
  • Blog Posts

    How to Manage Chronic Diseases: Your Path to Better Health
  • Blog Posts

    Chronic Disease Management: Empowering Patients for Better Health
  • Blog Posts

    Finding the Right Coverage with Healthcare Brokers
  • Blog Posts

    What Brokers Need to Know About Direct Primary Care: Essential Insights
  • Blog Posts

    Uncategorized

    How Insurance Brokers Can Integrate DPC Into a Plan Design
  • Blog Posts

    Uncategorized

    Discover the Benefits of Direct Primary Care for Your Health
  • Blog Posts

    How Much Does Concierge Medicine Cost?
  • Blog Posts

    How Direct Primary Care Benefits Healthcare Brokers: Key Advantages Explained
  • Blog Posts

    How Does Concierge Medicine Work with Insurance? What You Need to Know
  • Blog Posts

    Direct Primary Care as an Employer Health Plan Strategy: The Benefits and Solutions
  • Blog Posts

    Videos

    Mental Illness Awareness with Dr. John Rodriguez
  • Blog Posts

    Is Direct Primary Care Membership the New Approach to Healthcare?
  • Blog Posts

    Direct Primary Care vs. Concierge Medicine: Understanding the Differences
  • Blog Posts

    Take Charge of Your Healthcare with My Direct Primary Care plus
  • Blog Posts

    News

    Uncategorized

    Healthcare2U’s Dr. John Rodriguez Talks DPC on Dr. Daliah Podcast
  • Blog Posts

    News

    Healthcare2U’s Andy Bonner Joins the Benefits Ally 3x3x3 Challenge to Talk DPC
  • Blog Posts

    Ask Dr. John Rodriguez – Men’s Health Awareness
  • Blog Posts

    News

    Grow your Revenue with Healthcare2U’s Nationwide Direct Primary Care: A Win-Win for Advisors and Employers in California
  • Blog Posts

    Mining Your Existing In-Force Block Increases Revenue
  • Blog Posts

    Why Healthcare Costs Continue to Increase in the U.S.
  • Blog Posts

    True or False: Holiday Health Myths
  • Blog Posts

    Ask Dr. John Part 3 – A Physician’s Journey into Direct Primary Care
  • Blog Posts

    Ask Dr. John Part 2 – The Struggles Physicians Face While Working in a Traditional Care Model
  • Blog Posts

    One Size Fits All Health Insurance Plans Are Failing Your Employer Groups. Here’s Why.
  • Blog Posts

    Ask Dr. John Part 1 – The Benefits of Working with a Direct Primary Care Model
  • Blog Posts

    Better Benefits Education Means Smarter Healthcare Utilization
  • Blog Posts

    Leveraging Technology to Improve the Patient Experience
  • Blog Posts

    Traveling this Summer? Take Your Healthcare with You
  • Blog Posts

    The Warning Signs for Skin Cancer and How to Prevent It
  • Blog Posts

    Colon Cancer is on the Rise in Young People – What to Know and When You Should Get Tested
  • Blog Posts

    Why Fad Diets Can Be Dangerous, and How to Spot Them
  • Blog Posts

    Analyzing the Cost of Chronic Diseases and Their Effect on Employers
  • Blog Posts

    Wake Up and Workout – Why Morning Exercise is Better for You
  • Blog Posts

    Five Large Contributions Women Made in Healthcare
  • Blog Posts

    Why Annual Physicals Are a Vital Preventative Care Element
  • Blog Posts

    Investing in Employee Benefits Education is Beneficial to Both Employees and Employers
  • Blog Posts

    Health Benefits Education and Direct Primary Care Can Lower Costs for Self-Funded Groups
  • Blog Posts

    Americans are Five Times More Likely to Experience Increased Stress Levels During the Holidays
  • Blog Posts

    How Benefit Design Can Help Employers Remain Competitive
  • Blog Posts

    Prediabetes: When to Worry About the Precursor to Diabetes
  • Blog Posts

    An Affordable Healthcare Alternative for Non-Benefited Employees
  • Blog Posts

    Direct Primary Care is a Win for Brokers, Employers, and Employees
  • Blog Posts

    A New Healthcare Offering for Uninsured Children
  • Blog Posts

    Hope for Escalating Healthcare Costs
  • Blog Posts

    Give Employers an Affordable Complement to HDHPs
  • Blog Posts

    DPC: A No-Claims Approach to Essential Primary Care
  • Blog Posts

    What Employees Really Want in a Job
  • Blog Posts

    Solutions to Alleviate Financial Worries in Healthcare
  • Blog Posts

    DPC Addresses Cumulative Effects of Inflation and Escalating Health Insurance Costs
  • Blog Posts

    Addressing Healthcare Deserts with Affordable Solutions
  • Blog Posts

    A New Approach to Customized Benefits
  • Blog Posts

    Employee Well-Being is the New Normal
  • Blog Posts

    The U.S. Ranks Last in Healthcare Equity and Affordability Among High-Income Nations
  • Blog Posts

    Diabetes Awareness Can Save Lives [Affordable Access to Healthcare Can Help Detect, Treat and Manage Chronic Diseases Such as Diabetes]
  • Blog Posts

    Benefits as a Recruitment Strategy [Cost-Effective Solutions Such As Direct Primary Care Provide Customizable Benefits]
  • Blog Posts

    The Importance of Health Screenings [Direct Primary Care Memberships Provide Access to Routine Healthcare]
  • Blog Posts

    Helping Employees Understand Their Benefits
  • Blog Posts

    The Consequences of Delaying Medical Care
  • Blog Posts

    Major Shifts in Healthcare [Implementing Long-Term Strategies for Telemedicine and Virtual Care]
  • Blog Posts

    Why Millennials Ignore Health Issues
  • Blog Posts

    Anti-Aging Secrets: An Unexpected Benefit of Primary Care?
  • Blog Posts

    Creative Healthcare Solutions for States with the Least Coverage
  • Blog Posts

    Three Overlooked Groups Looking for Innovative Healthcare Solutions [How Direct Primary Care Can Address Their Needs]
  • Blog Posts

    Data-Driven Insights for Building Better Health Plans
  • Blog Posts

    DPC Practices Seek to End Disparities in Healthcare
  • Blog Posts

    The Relationship Between Physical Health and Mental Health [How to Promote Better Physical and Mental Wellbeing]
  • Blog Posts

    Primary Care Counteracts the Negative Impact of Poor Economic Conditions on Health
  • Blog Posts

    Two Accelerating Contributors to Health Inequity [How Medication Insecurity and Healthcare Homelessness Calls for Better Access to Primary Medical Care]
  • Blog Posts

    Health Plan Design is a Strategic Business Decision
  • Blog Posts

    Increased Demand for Virtual Healthcare Going Forward
  • Blog Posts

    Chronic Disease Management Provides Big ROI
  • Blog Posts

    Be Prepared for the New Normal Through the Power of Partnerships
  • Blog Posts

    Looking into Healthcare’s Crystal Ball – The Present and Future of Direct Primary Care
  • Blog Posts

    Affordable Healthcare Alternatives Can Minimize the Fallout from COVID
  • Blog Posts

    Affordable Healthcare and Financial Literacy for Millennials [How Direct Primary Care Delivers the On-Demand Healthcare Experience that Millennials Want]
  • Blog Posts

    Direct Primary Care Helps Address Healthcare Inequality for Children [Accessible and Unlimited Primary Care]
  • Blog Posts

    Role of Direct Primary Care in Healthcare Equality [How Affordable and convenient care isn’t just a tagline]
  • Blog Posts

    The Small Businesses Healthcare Revolution
  • Blog Posts

    3 Reasons You Should Be Having as Much Fun as Possible
  • Blog Posts

    Nextgen Solutions to Keep Families Healthy
  • Blog Posts

    The Future of Primary Care [ How the Primary Care Landscape is Adapting to a Mobile Workforce ]
  • Blog Posts

    The ABCs of DPC – The Building Blocks of Healthcare [ What is Direct Primary Care and Why is it Important? ]
  • Blog Posts

    Caregiver Burnout: Tips for Self-Care [How to care for yourself so you can care for others]
  • Blog Posts

    Optimal Cholesterol Levels Help Maintain Optimal Health
  • Blog Posts

    Celebrating Women’s Contributions to Healthcare
  • Blog Posts

    Healthcare for the Service Sector
  • Blog Posts

    Prepare for a New Normal
  • Blog Posts

    Tips for a Happy and Healthy Summer
  • Blog Posts

    A Solution for Disparities in Healthcare
  • Blog Posts

    3 Ways Artificial Intelligence is Changing Healthcare
  • Blog Posts

    Prevention is the Best Strategy for Chronic Disease
  • Blog Posts

    Healthcare2U Launches Redesigned Website to Better Support Brokers, Employers and Members
  • Blog Posts

    Doctors Love Direct Primary Care
  • Blog Posts

    Is There Such a Thing as Balance?
  • Blog Posts

    Men Visit the Doctor Less Than Women
  • Blog Posts

    Hidden Causes of Hypertension
  • Blog Posts

    Solutions for Anxiety and Depression
  • Blog Posts

    The Importance of Primary Care
  • Blog Posts

    DPC Will Be Crucial for Health Plans Going Forward
  • Blog Posts

    Tips to Stay Fit at Home
  • Blog Posts

    The Connection Between Health and Friendship
  • Blog Posts

    Stress Relief in Times of Uncertainty
  • Blog Posts

    3 Powerful Ways to Boost Your Immune System
  • Blog Posts

    COVID-19: Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy
  • Blog Posts

    How Employee Burnout Increases Healthcare Costs
  • Blog Posts

    Coronavirus: Stay Calm and Aware, But Don’t Panic
  • Blog Posts

    The Link Between Technology and Depression
  • Blog Posts

    Finding Solutions for Surprise Medical Billing
  • Blog Posts

    3 Ways Love Can Improve Your Health
  • Blog Posts

    How Physical Fitness Benefits Mental Health
  • Blog Posts

    Tips for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season
  • Blog Posts

    Five Ways to Reduce The Risk of Back Pain
  • Blog Posts

    Five Factors Contributing to Childhood Obesity
  • Blog Posts

    Five Things Employers Should Consider When Looking for a Direct Primary Care Provider
  • Blog Posts

    National Women’s History Month: Five Influential Women in Medicine
  • Blog Posts

    Heart Failure Awareness Week
  • Blog Posts

    Our Hearts are Healthier Together
  • Blog Posts

    Employers Seek Alternative Solutions to Solve Rising Benefit Plan Costs
  • Blog Posts

    The Real Impact of Chronic Diseases in America
  • Blog Posts

    Conquering Your New Year’s Resolutions
  • Blog Posts

    Winter Wellness
  • Blog Posts

    Employer Provided Healthcare Isn’t Making the Cut
  • Blog Posts

    Breast Cancer Research: The Breakthroughs of Today for Those Diagnosed Tomorrow
  • Blog Posts

    Breast Cancer Facts and Myths
  • Blog Posts

    Fighting a Killer
  • Blog Posts

    7 Ways to Celebrate Women’s Health & Fitness Day
  • Blog Posts

    The Fight Against Childhood Obesity
  • Blog Posts

    Five Tips to Prepare for a Healthier School Year
  • Blog Posts

    Sticking to a Healthy Eating Plan over the Holidays and into the New Year
  • Blog Posts

    Focus on Diabetes – Preventing a Killer
  • Blog Posts

    Direct Primary Care Delivering Lower Costs, Better Patient Experience
  • Blog Posts

    Savings 101: Healthcare strategies for self-funded companies
  • Blog Posts

    Embarking on a Path to Health and Wellness
  • Blog Posts

    The Rise of Telemedicine
  • Blog Posts

    What is a Healthcare Advocate?
  • CONTACT US

    BECOME A PART OF THE SOLUTION

    Redefine the healthcare experience with No-Claims Healthcare™

    Contact us