Posted: 04/14/09
An Associated Press analysis has discovered that many diabetics are cutting back on doctor visits, insulin, medicines, and blood sugar testing as they lose income and face soaring individual insurance costs during the recession. People with other diseases are also cutting back on care, but diabetics are at risk of amputation, vision loss, stroke and even death when not closely monitored or treated.Typically, diabetes can be controlled for a few years with diet, exercise, and inexpensive generic medication. However, the less expensive medications eventually stop working and patients have to switch to more advanced medication which is normally more expensive.
Without company sponsored health insurance and the inability to pay individual insurance costs, the average monthly cost to treat diabetes is $350 to $900. Emergency care and long term complications can cost far more. Nationwide, emergency rooms and free clinics are seeing an increase in the number of diabetics who have not been taking their medication. Many of these patients have such high blood sugar they are hospitalized for days.
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