Nassau County and Suffolk County Spending on Healthcare Rank Highest in the Nation
A recent article from The Journal of American Medical Association reveals a worrisome statistic for both Nassau and Suffolk counties. The study, which examined spending on medical costs throughout the country, county by county, found Nassau County had the highest age-standardized spending per capital, followed by Suffolk County in second place, and in third place, Washington D.C.
The study sought to define what health conditions, type of care and counties in the United States are associated with the highest level of spending on healthcare. The study looked at 3,110 counties and four payers – Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and out-of-pocket payments. The researchers looked at more than 40 billion insurance claims and almost 1 billion facility records.
The biggest healthcare cost nationwide was for Type 2 diabetes, followed by musculoskeletal disorders including joint pain, osteoporosis, oral disorders, and heart disease.
By conducting the research at the county level, the study sought to develop an accurate assessment of healthcare spending, access to healthcare and utilization of healthcare.
What the research doesn’t reflect is the density of healthcare facilities on Long Island compared to other counties, which I suspect may be a factor in these statistics.
Type 2 Diabetes Highest Cost Nationwide
Another fact revealed by the study is that the highest healthcare cost is for Type 2 Diabetes, followed by musculoskeletal disorders.
Diabetes is managed with a variety of medications, many of which are very expensive. But if you have diabetes, you’re grateful for the drugs and being able to control your disease.
Newfield Law Group represents people with diabetes whose disease is not manageable and are suffering from peripheral nerve damage, kidney disease or diabetic retinopathy that often accompanies the progression of the disease.
Long term disability claims for diabetes related disabilities are often denied. The claims adjuster or reviewing doctor may take the position that because many people with diabetes are able to go about their lives without problems, the claimant should too. This is not always the case, so claims are often able to succeed when appropriate support can be developed.
Second Highest Cost for Healthcare: Musculoskeletal Diseases
Our office represents many claimants suffering from problems with their spine, shoulders, hips, neck, arms, and wrists. Dentists and surgeons are often disabled with orthopedic conditions precluding their ability to practice their profession. Long term disability insurance companies often deny these claims because of the high cost of monthly benefits. These are often associated with medical fields or surgeons, but are not limited to any specific occupation.
Musculoskeletal disease includes disabilities impacting the bones, joints, muscles, and the connective tissues that hold these structures in place. Whether it occurs because of an inherited condition, an illness or injury, the inability to maneuver the body without pain is a challenging disability claim. The insurance company will seek objective evidence like an MRI showing a torn tendon, for instance, and then take the position that many people live with the same injury and keep working. In other words, the orthopedic or musculoskeletal claimant is often accused of malingering.
The study concludes that having this new dataset, which the authors are making available to policymakers, research colleagues and other stakeholders, will foster a necessary discussion concerning healthcare services and spending. Understanding the variations of care, utilization, and costs at such a local level could be useful to making informed decisions for public healthcare policy.
To read the full article, click here.
