Prevention Can Save $2.5 Billion Annually

A report issued from the Health and Human Services'Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that the nation could save approximately $2.5 billion a year by preventing hospitalizations as a result of severe diabetes complications. Many of the problems with the disease can often be prevented or delayed with quality primary care and compliance with the recommendations from providers. The research showed:

?Lowering hospital admissions for diabetes complications can save the Medicare program $1.3 billion annually and Medicaid $386 million a year

?Approximately one third of patients with diabetes were hospitalized 2 or more times in 2001 for diabetes or related conditions

?The chance of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease was 2 to 4 times higher in women with diabetes, compared with women without diabetes