More Americans getting multiple chronic illnesses

Courtesy of Reuters

More Americans are burdened by chronic illnesses, often having more than three at a time, and this has helped fuel a big rise in out-of-pocket medical expenses, a study released on Tuesday showed. With prescription drugs playing a key role, average annual out-of-pocket medical costs -- those not covered by health insurance -- rose from $427 per American in 1996 to $741 in 2005, researchers wrote in the journal Health Affairs.

Based on government survey data, 44 percent of Americans in 2005 had at least one chronic medical condition, which could include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, cancer, arthritis, heart failure and others.

But the percentage of Americans with three or more chronic illnesses rose even more sharply. It jumped from 13 percent in 1996 to 22 percent in 2005 for ages 45 to 64, to 45 percent for ages 65 to 79, and rose from 38 percent to 54 percent for those 80 and older. Among all ages, it went from 7 percent in 1996 to 13 percent in 2005.

Chronic disease accounts for three-fourths of the more than $2 trillion spent on health care yearly in the United States.

Steve - these are truly astounding statistics for most. However, as public health professionals that work in the trenches every day, they are on the mark. Chronic diseases are the most treatable with the proper individualized dietary and lifestyle treatment. Medication does not heal. It puts a band-aid on the problem(s).