American Diabetes Association:Advocating to Stop Diabetes

LaShawn McIver, MD, MPHNational Director, Public Policy & Strategic Alliances

Already at EPIDEMIC proportions:• 25.8 million with diabetes• 79 million with prediabetesAnd, increasing at an alarming rate: • Now: 11.3% of U.S. adults have diabetes.• By 2050: 1 in 3 American adults

ALL at increased RISK FOR DEATH, AND LIFE-LIMITING DISABILITIES.

•Leading cause of kidney failure, non-traumatic lower limb amputations, and new cases of blindness among adults

•Major cause of heart disease & stroke.

•7th leading cause of death

Serious Economic

BurdenDiabetes health COSTS ARE A BIG BURDEN – for all of us:

•Those with diabetes more than 2X the health care costs of those without diabetes.

•For children the cost is 6X higher

•1 in 10 health care dollars spent treating diabetes.

•1 in 3 Medicare dollars spent on people with diabetes.

Diabetes is costly.

MISSION:To Prevent and Cure Diabetes

and Improve the Lives of All People Affected by Diabetes

Advocacy goals:• Increase federal and state funding for

diabetes prevention, treatment and research

• Prevent diabetes • Eliminate discrimination against people

with diabetes• Improve the availability of accessible,

adequate and affordable health care

• Ends discrimination

• People with diabetes can't use up their insurance or have it taken away when they need it most

• Limits on out-of-pocket costs for all and an array of help for low and moderate income people with diabetes

• New focus on primary prevention

Health Reform: What it means for people with Diabetes

Health Reform

•Coverage for kids and young adults•Exchanges•Essential Health

Benefits•Prevention

Health Care Reform: Getting the Word Out

Health Care Reform: Defense

• Congress

• States

• Courts

Questions

www.diabetes.org/advocate

1-800- DIABETESCenter for Information and Community Support