New Type 2 Diabetes Findings from J. Wu and Colleagues Discussed (Progression to Type 2 Diabetes and Its Effect on Health Care Costs in Low-Income…

Insurance Weekly News

New Type 2 Diabetes Findings from J. Wu and Colleagues Discussed (Progression to Type 2 Diabetes and Its Effect on Health Care Costs in Low-Income and Insured Patients with Prediabetes: A Retrospective Study Using Medicaid Claims Data)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Weekly News -- Investigators discuss new findings in Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases and Conditions - Type 2 Diabetes. According to news reporting originating in Clinton, South Carolina, by VerticalNews journalists, research stated, "Prediabetes is a high-risk factor for progression to diabetes. Without lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and moderate physical activity, 15%-30% of people with prediabetes are projected to develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years."

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research, "Progression to diabetes increases the financial burden significantly for patients and health care systems. Populations with low socioeconomic status are associated with a higher risk of diabetes. However, knowledge is limited about the effect of transition to diabetes on future costs incurred in low-income populations. To (a) describe the characteristics of low-income and insured patients with prediabetes and (b) examine the effect of progression to type 2 diabetes on health care utilization and costs. This study used South Carolina Medicaid claims data (20092014) to identify patients (aged years) with newly diagnosed prediabetes. All patients were enrolled in Medicaid continuously for at least 1 year before and after the diagnosis of prediabetes and were followed for at least 1 year and up to 6 years. The time to progression to type 2 diabetes was measured by a Kaplan Meier curve, and risk factors associated with onset of type 2 diabetes were identified by Cox regression. Generalized linear models were applied to assess the effect of progression to type 2 diabetes on total health care costs during the first 3-year period. A total of 7,650 patients with prediabetes met the study criteria. During the follow-up period, 30.3% of the study population developed type 2 diabetes within 3 years. Older age, African-American race, fee-for-service plan, comorbid hypertension, obesity, and dyslipidemia were associated with higher risk for onset of type 2 diabetes. Compared with patients who did not progress to type 2 diabetes, the progression to type 2 diabetes increased total health care costs by 22.1% (P <0.001), 39.1% (P <0.001), and 47.6% (P <0.001) during the first 3 years after adjusting for demographic and comorbid conditions. Age, race, type of Medicaid plan, and diabetes-related comorbidities were associated with risk for progression of prediabetes. Progression to type 2 diabetes significantly increased total health care costs in the first 3 years."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "Early detection and intervention to prevent or delay onset of type 2 diabetes are needed to control health care utilization and costs."

For more information on this research see: Progression to Type 2 Diabetes and Its Effect on Health Care Costs in Low-Income and Insured Patients with Prediabetes: A Retrospective Study Using Medicaid Claims Data. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, 2017;23(3):309-316. Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy can be contacted at: Acad Managed Care Pharmacy, 100 N Pitt St, 400, Alexandria, VA 22314-3134, USA.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting J. Wu, Presbyterian Coll Sch Pharm, Clinton, SC, United States. Additional authors for this research include E. Ward, T. Threatt and Z.K. Lu.

Keywords for this news article include: Clinton, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases and Conditions, Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes, Epidemiology, Risk and Prevention, Type 2 Diabetes, Health Policy, Medicaid.