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Economic Realities Associated With Diabetes Care: Opportunities to Expand Delivery of Physical Therapist Services to a Vulnerable Population

R Cohn, PT, DPT, was Director, Private Payment Policy and Advocacy, American Physical Therapy Association, at the time this article was written. Currently, she is Director of Workers Compensation Business Operations, National Rehabilitation Hospital, 102 Irving St NW, Washington, DC 20010 (USA)

Address all correspondence to Dr Cohn at: Rhea.J.Cohn{at}medstar.net

Each year, more Americans are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The costs for managing this disease are high, and the cascade of problems associated with poorly controlled diabetes is significant. At the same time, the number of uninsured or underinsured Americans is growing. This article describes current trends in health insurance availability and coverage for the growing number of people with diabetes and addresses the direct costs associated with treating this disease. The economic burden of health care for people with diabetes continues to escalate. Payers and employers are interested in decreasing their direct and indirect costs, improving profit margins, decreasing employee absenteeism, and increasing employee productivity. For physical therapists to recognize existing or new opportunities to participate in the management of this costly disease, it is critical that they understand how employees, payers, and employers are responding to the changing market forces affecting health insurance.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. D Deshpande, M. Harris-Hayes, and M. Schootman Epidemiology of Diabetes and Diabetes-Related Complications Physical Therapy, November 1, 2008; 88(11): 1254 - 1264. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. S Kirkness, R. L Marcus, P. C LaStayo, C. V Asche, and J. M Fritz Diabetes and Associated Risk Factors in Patients Referred for Physical Therapy in a National Primary Care Electronic Medical Record Database Physical Therapy, November 1, 2008; 88(11): 1408 - 1416. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. J Mueller People With Diabetes: A Population Desperate for Movement Physical Therapy, November 1, 2008; 88(11): 1250 - 1253. [Full Text] [PDF]