Did you know over 38 million children and adults have diabetes in the United States and in 2022 the national cost of diabetes was nearly $413 billion? In Washington alone nearly 9% of our population has a diabetes diagnosis, that is approximately 536,600 adults. The average medical expenses of a person with diabetes are 2.6 times higher than that of adults without.
Diabetes is exceptionally medically complex and we are constantly learning more about it. While like most medical diagnoses diabetes does have a genetic risk factor, there are steps the American Diabetes Association discusses that can help prevent certain types of diabetes.
First off, know your risk! At your next visit talk to your doctor to see whether the A1C test is right for you. A1C is the lab value that tells you how your blood sugar has been over the past couple of months. A1C is a great tool for your doctor to identify your risk for diabetes or keep track of how treatment is working if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes. The American Diabetes Association also has a great risk assessment tool here; take the test and discuss results with your primary care provider.
As with heart health, fitness and nutrition are both an incredibly important part of diabetes prevention and management. The American Diabetes Association website has a plethora of information with tips and tricks we found helpful and hope you will, too.
Medicare and how it helps
In the last few years Medicare has changed how diabetes medications are covered, essentially capping the price at $35 based on their formulary. If you have diabetes and need to know what to expect once you obtain Medicare coverage, fill out this form so John and the Holmes Harbor team can review your plan options with you!
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