patvann/cms134v6-diabetes-medical-attention-for-nephropathy

CMS134v6 Diabetes: Medical Attention for Nephropathy

As the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., diabetes kills approximately 75,000 people a year (CDC FastStats 2015). Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high blood glucose levels, resulting from the body's inability to produce or use insulin (CDC Statistics 2014, ADA Basics 2013). People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation of toes, feet or legs, and premature death. (CDC Fact Sheet 2014).

In 2012, diabetes cost the U.S. an estimated $245 billion: $176 billion in direct medical costs and $69 billion in reduced productivity. This is a 41 percent increase from the estimated $174 billion spent on diabetes in 2007 (ADA Economic 2013).

In 2011, diabetes accounted for 44% of new kidney failure cases. In the same year, 49,677 diabetics started treatment for kidney failure and 228,924 people of all ages with kidney failure due to diabetes were living on chronic dialysis or with a kidney transplant (CDC Statistics, 2014).