Chronic diseases and conditions and the health risk behaviors that cause them make up most of our health care costs.
The top five preventable conditions in the U.S. made up for 30% of health care spending in 2010.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Eighty-six percent of the nation’s $2.7 trillion 2010 annual health care expenditures were for people with chronic and mental health conditions.
- Total annual cardiovascular disease costs to the nation averaged $316.1 billion in 2012–2013. Of this amount, $189.7 billion was for direct medical expenses and $126.4 billion was for lost productivity costs (from premature death).
- Cancer care cost $157 billion in 2010 dollars.
- The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2012 was $245 billion, including $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in decreased productivity. Decreased productivity includes costs associated with people being absent from work, being less productive while at work, or not being able to work at all because of diabetes.
- The total cost of arthritis and related conditions was about $128 billion in 2003. Of this amount, nearly $81 billion was for direct medical costs and $47 billion was for indirect costs associated with lost earnings.
- Medical costs linked to obesity were estimated to be $147 billion in 2008. Annual medical costs for people who were obese were $1,429 higher than those for people of normal weight in 2006.
- For the years 2009–2012, economic cost due to smoking is estimated to be at least $300 billion a year. This cost includes nearly $170 billion in direct medical care for adults and more than $156 billion for lost productivity from premature death estimated from 2005 through 2009.
- The economic costs of drinking too much alcohol were estimated to be $249 billion, or $2.05 a drink, in 2010. Most of these costs were due to binge drinking and resulted from losses in workplace productivity, health care expenses, and crimes related to excessive drinking.
The formula to save money on healthcare is to be healthy. Spending more money on insurance, medical tests, prescriptions, prevention programs, or doctor visits hasn't been able to accomplish that.
You can.
Imagine Health. Choose Health. Achieve Health.
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