The impact of changing lifestyle to improve diabetes and other connected illnesses.
Tonight I’ve sat through two meetings about how the new and updated health care legislation would affect the diabetes community.
There are current discussions about medical drug and device rebates and co-pays. Things that so many of us diabetes can benefit from right now and not a second later. Unfortunately, the process to put the new legislation into place will take some time due to issues within the current congress administration.
There are numerous vacancies in the US Health and Human Services that have not been filled since the end of the Trump Administration into beginning of the Biden administration. President Biden’s efforts to reinvigorate the American Cares Act has made some strides, but there are some issues involving Medicaid expansion and deciding on the individual mandates. Plus, the Supreme Court has halted the Trump Drug Policy that was previously passed before the end of Trump’s presidency for further review. Until these vacancies have been filled, and the court settles out the logistics of the drug policy, we may not see and major changes in the near future.
This is very sobering news because the number of new cases of diabetes has greatly increased to an estimated 1.5 million cases in 2018 according to the CDC’s National Diabetes Statistics Report for 2020.
A 2017 study on the Cost of Diabetes Care by the American Diabetes Association stated that Diabetes account for $1 out of $7 spent on healthcare in the US. That accounts for 1 in 4 health care dollars spent. The average that a person with diabetes spend was $16,752 a year. There are many of us that are not able to cover any of that cost out of pocket. This is where affordable health care could really benefit.
Until things shift, there are ways that we could do to cut down on the costs of diabetes care such as taking advantage of health savings of flexible spending accounts, enrolling in health insurance (if eligible) and other health plans provided by the state.
However, there is a better way that diabetics, specifically type 2, in this case could do that can really cut down on diabetes expenses and possibly eliminate certain expensive medications. Want to know what it is?
CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE!
I’m not a doctor and not qualified to give medical advice; however, I am a diabetic and I can personally attest to this! Changing the way you eat and intentional exercise can do wonders for your health. Sticking to a lifestyle will help lower your A1c to levels that may result in eliminating certain medications and eliminate other illnesses that contribute to diabetes like heart and liver diseases.
Personally, I currently eat low carb/keto and walk two miles a day; however, simply eliminating eating processed and/or refined foods along with exercising a minimum of three days a week, will still be highly beneficial. Doing our part by sticking with a healthier lifestyle could not help put a dent in diabetes debt, but lower overall health care debt.
Even though the case is vastly different for type 1 diabetes because insulin is required regardless, a healthier lifestyle change could also benefit some type 1 diabetics, resulting in less insulin injections or elimination of other medications. Pre-diabetics that change their lifestyle can lower their chances of being officially diagnosed with diabetes and other illnesses.
A lifestyle changes will give you lifelong savings from complications of diabetes including, blindness, amputations, kidney failure, heart attacks and strokes. And the best benefit of all: you will be able to live again without the stress of health care cost burdening your mind.
Until Next Time,
The Genetic Diabetic
