Incorporating interventions proven to prevent and control cardiodiabesity conditions into care protocols is a key to slowing or stopping progression of disease, and a new report from the Evernorth Research Institute provides a hint of the potential cost savings that can result.
Cardiodiabesity encompasses cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity, which are among the biggest health problems in the United States and carry a total cost estimated at $719 billion a year. Previous research by the Institute found that cardiodiabesity is a progressive disease, with a large majority of patients experiencing worsening health.
The new report explores the utilization and costs of health care services for patients experiencing the three stages of cardiodiabesity:
- Early stage, with risk factors but no diagnosis
- Active stage, following a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular disease or a combination
- Advanced stage, experiencing severe complications such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure
The report also highlights how the costs and the utilization of health care services change as patients progress to the next disease phase – increases which may be avoided when effective risk factor control measures are in place.
“This latest report helps us better understand how health care services are used and where the key cost drivers are,” said Urvashi Patel, Ph.D., vice president of the Evernorth Research Institute. “This helps guide our employer and health plan partners to place interventions where they can do the most good.”
“The interventions proven to prevent diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease such as blood pressure control and smoking cessation are also proven to stop progression to severe complications like heart attacks and strokes,” said Dr. Calie Santana, senior medical principal at Evernorth. “We have multiple opportunities along each person’s journey to reduce harm and costs in all stages of cardiodiabesity, especially for those who have not yet experienced the harm of severe complications.”
This research is based on an analysis of over 3 million insured patients diagnosed in 2019 through 2021 with early stage or active cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and/or obesity. Here are three key findings from the new report:
1. Comorbidities contribute significantly to costs
The research found that care costs for patients with active cardiodiabesity increased when they had multiple cardiodiabesity conditions. Compared with patients diagnosed with one of those conditions, the average annual total cost of care per year was 53% higher for patients diagnosed with two conditions and 141% higher for patients diagnosed with all three.