Briefing on the Toll of Diabetes
Today, January 23rd 2008, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the members of the
congressional diabetes caucus will
hold a briefing to announce the annual diabetes cost estimates for 2007. Maybe if you're in Washington you can drop by and listen to the briefing.
During this briefing, speakers will release staggering new figures about the direct and indirect costs of the disease, and reveal the devastating expense incurred by Americans.
I'll be interested to see how much the incidence and cost of diabetes has increased. And also whether any new legislation is proposed during the briefing.
Update: The final
estimated cost(PDF) for diabetes in 2007 was
$174 billion. The US Population last year was
about 300,000,000 people. That means the toll of diabetes was about $580 for
every person in the US.
If a cure is ever found that would mean that
huge amount of money could eventually be put to better uses. Hey, I'd happily take mine as a tax break!
Labels: ADA, congress
Talking with the ADA
I got a telephone call from the American Diabetes Association (
ADA) the other evening. The caller wanted to see if I'd like to renew my membership.
Bad question to ask me.
Richard Kahn is the Chief Scientific Officer of the ADA. And at a recent conference he made
a speech(PDF) on Diabetes Technology, where he started by admitting
...I am far from being an expert on this subject, which all of you know much better than I.
He then spoke at length about the lack of clear evidence than much diabetes technology provides benefits that justify its costs.
Amy Tenderich has already given
her analysis of this speech together with an e-mail from Mr. Kahn.
In reading both her commentary and the original speech I question if Mr. Kahn is in touch with the realities of diabetes control and management for anyone with Type 1 diabetes. Does he know anything about the challenges of dealing with insurance companies to try and maintain a semblance of good control?
I spent
years trying to get an insulin pump before my insurance would cover the costs. My recent insulin pump purchase cost me over $500 and the pump company said my coverage was 'very good'. That's a
huge price to pay for reasonable diabetes control. And I lived for years with multiple daily injections (MDI), so I
really understand the difference.
So back to the ADA and my membership.
I joined the ADA many years ago and have acted as an ADA diabetes advocate in the past. I've also been fortunate enough to raise thousands of dollars for the ADA in various walks and bike rides.
Well no more. Until the ADA senior membership can demonstrate that it's focused on the best needs of those living with diabetes, I can't associate myself with them.
In future my focus will be on other
diabetes fund-raising efforts. And I won't depend on ADA's view of the world for diabetes treatment and research, because it's clearly not in my interests to do so.
Instead I'll work with my many friends in the
Diabetes blogosphere, groups like
TuDiabetes.com and the
Diabetes365 project to help educate others on new options in diabetes treatment and in better ways to use these to improve our lives as we live with this terrible disease.
Labels: ADA, nablopomo, reality
ADA Application with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have just published a regulation for the "Application by the American Diabetes Association (
ADA) for Continued Recognition as a National Accreditation Program for Accrediting Entities To Furnish Outpatient Diabetes Self-Management Training".
The details for both the application by the ADA and submission of comments can be found in the
published PDF file from CMS. The background section that starts on the bottom of the first page provides interesting details on the process including:
A national accreditation organization applying for deeming authority must provide us with reasonable assurance that the accrediting organization requires accredited entities to meet requirements that are at least as stringent as CMS’s requirements. We may approve and recognize a nonprofit or not-for-profit organization with demonstrated experience in representing the interests of individuals with diabetes to accredit entities to furnish training.
Now I know there's been some recent discussion on D-blogs about the ADA and whether they are being influenced by large drug companies.
If you're not comfortable with how the ADA is conducting their business, this may be a useful way to raise your concerns. If you have any comments about
this application, you can submit them to the CMS provided you do this by 5 PM on June 25, 2007.
Labels: ADA, CMS, diabetes, regulations
