The Economic Burden Of Diabetes

New research provides revised comprehensive estimates that suggest that the U. S. national economic burden of pre-diabetes and diabetes reached 218 billion in 2007. This estimate includes 153 billion in higher medical costs and 65 billion in reduced productivity. The average annual cost per case is 2, 864 for undiagnosed diabetes, 9, 975 for diagnosed diabetes (9, 677 for type 2 and 14, 856 for type 1), and 443 for pre-diabetes (medical costs only). For each American, regardless of diabetes status, this burden represents a cost of approximately 700 annually. These results underscore the urgency of better understanding how prevention and treatment strategies may or may not help reduce costs.