The Cost Of Diabetes And
Free Diabetic Supplies
by
Maureen Arnold
The cost of diabetes to
Americans is two-fold. There is a the actual cost of the
disease in money - as in supplies bought, health dollars
spent, and even commerce lost because of the
debilitating nature of the disease. There is also the
cost to the individual that cannot be measured - the
quality of life lost when the disease is not controlled,
the effort it takes to maintain a healthy lifestyle and
the difficulties surrounding that.
What is the cost of
diabetes on the typical American lifestyle? If the
disease is not managed correctly, the cost can be
tremendous. One of the biggest factors contributing to
diabetes is obesity, and obesity is the fastest growing
health epidemic in America today. The good news is this
risk factor is completely preventable and manageable;
the bad news is that up to 65% of Americans are
overweight. Exercise is the number one method to prevent
obesity and diabetes, along with a healthy diet and
lifestyle in general. There are also some oral
medications that can help prevent the onset of the
disease to those with risk factors or a
"pre-diabetic" condition.
Complications from
diabetes include symptoms of low or high blood sugar,
such as dizziness, sweating, weakness, shakiness and
nausea. If blood sugar falls too low, those affected can
faint or even go into a coma from low blood sugar. The
long term complications from uncontrolled or poorly
controlled diabetes include nerve damage and kidney
damage, damage to the eyes, cardio-vascular disease,
Alzheimer's, and a much higher risk of infection from
simple illnesses and wounds being unable to heal.
The monetary cost for
diabetic supplies can also be tremendous. Testing for
blood sugar levels can cost up to $0.81 per test, and
for those who have to test their sugar levels up to 6
times a day, this can add up very quickly. Costs can
also skyrocket when diabetes is uncontrolled or poorly
controlled simply because the medical expenses from
kidney problems, eye damage, cardio-vascular damage and
more be tremendous.
Fortunately there are
many programs out there that can help diabetics to get
their testing supplies for free or at a much lower cost,
even if they are currently insured or on government
assistance programs like Medic-aide and Medicare. Most
of these programs will work directly with the insurance
company to figure out the lowest-cost avenue for the
patient, and to present these options to the patient in
an easy to understand and helpful manner.
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About the Author
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Diabetic Supplies to apply for your free
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