Impact Of Chronic Disease on America

A new study released from the Milken Institute called, "An Unhealthy America: The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease," says that chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension costs the U.S. economy more than $1 trillion, and could reach nearly $6 trillion by the middle of the century. Most of that total was a result of lost work days and reduced job productivity. The study recommends that "employers, insurers, governments, and communities work together to develop incentives for patients and health care providers to focus on disease prevention." Seniors and the senior healthcare system are particularly impacted by chronic disease. Over 162 million cases of seven common chronic diseases - cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders, and pulmonary conditions - were reported in the United States in 2003.