Impact of Preventive Care on Health Care Costs

Majority of the leading causes of death are caused by chronic diseases that are either preventable or likely to be manageable with proper utilization of health care, this includes:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes mellitus
• Cancer
• Chronic lower respiratory disease
• Stroke

Heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are generally caused by poor nutrition and obesity. Lung cancer, the most common type of cancer, is primarily caused by smoking and genetic factors. Obesity can also be a risk factor for other common forms of cancer.

Even before individuals with chronic conditions reach the Emergency Room, these chronic diseases are expensive to treat. In the United States, 90% of the $3.5 trillion in annual health care expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions.7

When patients properly utilize affordable preventative care (going to doctor’s visits and getting relevant screening done), their chronic conditions are more likely to be discovered and managed. This lowers the likelihood of both emergency room visits and more expensive treatments for diseases that have progressed past regular treatment options.

Which is why it is important schedule your preventive care visit with your doctor today to discuss how you can best manage your health. It will give you and your family a peace of mind and a plan on how to stay happy and healthy so you can do the activities you want to do in your life.