Diabetes One of Five Diseases and Disorders Causing Employer Healthcare Costs To Rise, Inequities Reported

According to a report by Health Action Council and UnitedHealth Group, five diseases and disorders are responsible for a growing healthcare burden for employers: asthma, hypertension, diabetes, back disorders, and mental health, including substance abuse. According to the report, some populations are at higher risk of disease. Black communities had higher levels of hypertension than others. Disease differences were also prevalent in lower income communities and in women.

According to Dr. Michael Menen, “Women are less often treated with evidence-based drugs and are sub-optimally treated across all ages,” adding, “Even though these differences and issues are well known, and despite the copious literature on the subject, the exact reasons these differences persist is not clearly known, and most agree that better and more individualized therapeutic strategies are needed to close gaps.” Read more here.

(Source: Kelsey Waddill, HealthPayerIntelligence, 2/22/21)