Diabetes is a serious disease that requires life long management and its becoming a very common challenge in the world today. An even more pressing problem is the dramatic increase in diabetes in the general population. Unfortunately, awareness of the disease and how to prevent it remains low. Causes of diabetes,particularly type 2(sometimes referred to as adult-onset diabetes) are partly due to the lack of a healthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle. While the causes and effects of this disease are well known among the medical industry, evidence indicates a profound lack of diabetes awareness among the general population.

This phenomenon is not unique as our diets and lifestyles have changed dramatically over the past few decades. We dine out more often,increase our intake of sugar, and replace physically demanding jobs with desk jobs. We’re also exporting these bad habits across the globe.Countries such as China are experiencing an explosion of obesity in their population, something that was almost unheard of in the past. They’ve taken a liking to western foods and habits. The obesity epidemic in China is a likely precursor to a diabetes crisis in that country.

But what can be done to raise awareness and stop the rise of this disease; which willreduce the resulting health care costs? Can personal responsibility take a role? Many ideas arebeing considered in health care reform and by insurance companies to pursuethis course of action. A cultural paradigm shift is needed.

For example, health care reform may initiate a taxon overweight individuals. People who have diabetes have on average higher medical treatment costs, and weight plays a role in that. Smoking is another example. Should smokers pay considerably more for health insurance? Would this be a good example of personal responsibility? It would increase awareness, but there would likely be a backlash because the end result is a raise in healthcare costs to most families. What role should insurance companies play in this debate? As it now stands,insurance companies are still going to play a big role in health care reform.

One of the biggest changes for these companies is the requirement that no more than 20 percent of revenues can be used for anything other than direct medical costs. Sometimes there seems like there is no good solution. Cost share and rationing healthcare are not viable long term solutions. With skyrocketing healthcare costs, it seems that no matter what steps we take, there will come a point where there simply is not enough money and/or healthcare to go around. Personal responsibility can only go so far. We must make sure that the decisions about the future of healthcare do not become a blame storming session, and instead focus on resolving the actual issue, which is scarcity of resources resulting in higher costs and lower quality of life for all patients across the board.M

So how can we promote a fix in a way that will improve overall health care and reduce health insurance rates?  This is the perhaps the biggest issue facing the healthcare system today. By developing health care systems that promote personal responsibility while preventing disease, rather than ones that focuses only on medical treatment, we will show cost savings. This along with preventative medications such as diabetic shoes can improve the long term outlook for the medical industry. We will always need healthcare, we just need to make sure we allocate enough human and financial resources to maintain a minimum level of healthcare not just for us, but for our kids.

*The author of this blog is not a medical professional and this article does not contain professional medical advice. This blog is not intended to substitute for medical advice, treatment, or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of the contents of this article. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.

*The author of this blog is not a medical professional and this article does not contain professional medical advice. This blog is not intended to substitute for medical advice, treatment, or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of the contents of this article. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.