Primary Disease Prevention Is Not Only Good For Our Health, But Also Our Budgets
19 Nov 2010
In a new study from the American Journal of Public Health, researchers found that primary disease prevention would lead to huge potential national and state medical care savings.
Researchers estimated potential national and state-level medical care cost savings achievable through modest reductions in the prevalence of several diseases associated with the same lifestyle-related risk factors. Researchers used Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component data from 2003-2005 to estimate the effects on medical spending over time of reductions in prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and related conditions amenable to primary prevention by comparing simulated and counterfactual morbidity and medical care expenditures to actual disease and expenditure patterns. Nationally, they estimated that reducing diabetes and hypertension prevalence by 5 percent would save approximately $9 billion annually in the near term. Furthermore, with resulting reductions in comorbidities, savings could rise to approximately $24.7 billion annually in the medium term. They found that returns were greatest in absolute terms for private payers, but greatest in percentage for Medicare. Of note, state savings varied with demographic make-up and prevailing morbidity.
The study's authors stated, "Our estimate that $24.7 billion in excess medical spending would be avoided annually if primary prevention were able to achieve a 5% reduction in only the conditions we examined can be considered a conservative estimate of the investment in prevention activities that could be offset by medical care savings alone." They continued that although additional research is needed to provide direct evidence for large-scale efficacy and costs of this type of intervention, "The large potential savings to government health programs may provide justification for public investments in this research."
Source:
American Journal of Public Health
