An article in Health Affairs reports that annual increases in Medicare spending are the result of treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, and hypertension. The report further says that Medicare spending increases in the past were due to inpatient hospital services, especially for heart disease. Heart disease ranked...
Tag: preventing chronic conditions
Obesity Poses Same If Not Greater Risks Than Smoking
Researchers at Columbia University and The City College of New York published a study in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that showed that the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost to obesity are equal to, or greater than, those lost because of smoking. From 1993 to...
Preventing Chronic Conditions Adds Healthy Years
Chronic conditions affect up to 90% of seniors. A new study suggests something that should be somewhat obvious – preventing chronic conditions could both save significant amounts of money and add healthy years to the lives of the elderly. Duh! Chronic conditions include diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. Researchers...