Transcript The $174 Billion Question: How to Reduce Diabetes and Obesity Alliance for Health Reform July 23, 2010 Deneen Vojta, MD Senior Vice President Center for Health.

The $174 Billion Question:
How to Reduce Diabetes and Obesity
Alliance for Health Reform
July 23, 2010
Deneen Vojta, MD
Senior Vice President
Center for Health Reform & Modernization
UnitedHealth Group
The Diabetes Epidemic: Taking a Toll on the
Health of Our Nation
The problem is only getting worse

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in the country. In 2007
alone there were 1.6 million new cases of diabetes among adults.

One out of three people born in the U.S. in the year 2000 will develop
diabetes in their lifetimes if current trends continue.

One of every five health care dollars is spent caring for someone with
diagnosed diabetes.

The estimated cost of the disease has increased 32% – or $8 billion a
year – since 2002, reaching $174 billion in 2007.
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Transformative Role for Health Insurers
To address this epidemic, health plans need to help transform the
U.S. “sick” care system into a true health care system:
Playing a greater role in prevention
Focusing on improving care quality and health outcomes
Reaching out to, engaging and supporting patients
Rewarding and incentivizing health
Supporting and accelerating innovation
Emphasizing efficiency
Collaborating with nonprofit, public and private sector partners to bring
proven ideas to scale
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Public-Private-Community Partnerships:
Collaborating for Better Health
As one of the leading health insurance companies in the
U.S., UnitedHealth Group is at the frontlines of this
epidemic, with roughly 40% of commercial business claims
related to pre-diabetes or diabetes and related conditions.
Research funded by CDC and NIH demonstrates success
of lifestyle intervention and exercise to reduce risk of
developing diabetes
The Y’s community-level visibility, engagement, and
credibility provide ideal platform to help scale the clinicallyproven program
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Diabetes Prevention Program at a Glance
A Solution-Driven Partnership to Prevent Diabetes
Diabetes Prevention Program: A New Model of Care
Designed to slow and prevent the development of Type II diabetes
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Participant identification
process
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We contact eligible participants via
multiple channels – telephonically,
direct marketing, and e-campaigns.
Screen those at risk.
We synthesize employer’s medical
claims, demographics and other
indicators to identify individuals who
match pre-diabetic profiles
Outcome: Better clinical
and financial results
5% loss in weight reduces
diabetes conversion rate by
58%
Healthier eating habits
Improved nutrition
Increased physical activity
Participant outreach
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Participant receives
optional monthly
maintenance
Participants have
option for 12 months
of “monthly
maintenance” to
sustain results
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Participant
enrolled/scheduled
Participants are scheduled in
the 16-week program, delivered
over 20 weeks
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Participant joins 16week YMCA program
Comprehensive program covers:
• Weight loss through exercise
and behavior modification
• Pre-diabetes education
• Healthy eating habits
• Risk factor reduction
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Innovative Approach to Fighting an Epidemic
Evidence-Based Approach
• Rigorously tested and proven evidence-based intervention
No Cost to Participate
• Covered as a preventive care benefit – participants will have no out-of-pocket costs
Incentives for Improved Outcomes
• Y lifestyle coaches rewarded for positive clinical outcomes, in addition to being paid
for each patient’s participation
Broad Reach and Expertise
• UnitedHealth Group leverages national footprint and broad assets:
• Information & technology
• Expertise in clinical access and management
Shared Commitment to Good Health
• Offering the program to other insurance companies and plan sponsors
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Call to Action
Focus on Early Identification, Intervention and Prevention
Challenge

The U.S. has made a $940
billion commitment to expand
health insurance coverage over 10
years for 32 million of 54 million
uninsured Americans

Expanded access can only be
achieved and sustained if we
address a primary driver of cost -health risk -- and promote policies
that have meaningful impact on
health outcomes

Promised advances in health care
coverage will be erased if
Americans’ increasing health
risk is not urgently addressed
Finding Solutions
According to Urban
Institute research, bringing
the Diabetes Prevention
Program to scale could result
in $190 billion in savings to the
health system over 10 years
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*Footnote here. 8pt type. Aligned to bottom. No need to move or resize this box.
Next Steps
This initiative marks an
important step
but we need to build capacity
and engage more partners at
both the federal and community
level to join in similar efforts to
stem the rising tide of
diabetes and
obesity in this country
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