West Virginia Study Measures The Cost Of Chronic Illnesses

West Virginia Study Measures The Cost Of Chronic Illnesses in General Healthcare

A recent study conducted by the Milken Institute measured the actual cost of chronic illnesses in West Virginia. The Milken Institute is a California-based economic research organization and think tank.

The “first-of-its-kind” study determined that West Virginia’s economy has taken a $10.5 billion hit from chronic illnesses. Medical treatment has cost $2.3 billion, while the loss of productivity — including missed work and poor performance due to illness — cost the state’s economy $8.1 billion.

“It’s very clear that [chronic diseases] have an enormous impact,” said the president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Steve Roberts.

West Virginia is among the top fives states in the country with the most chronic diseases, reported the State Journal. The other states with the most chronic illnesses include Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi.

“The problem is exacerbated in West Virginia because we have an older population and a population that’s not as responsible for our health as we should be,” said Roberts.

To turn things around, greater emphasis needs to be placed on preventive care and better management of chronic health conditions. For West Virginia, it means more efficient health care.

“I believe we need to really comprehensively overhaul our health care delivery system,” Roberts said. “We need to emphasize wellness and talk a lot in schools about how to be healthy.”

Businesses can also do their part to encourage healthier lifestyles by teaming up with health care providers to offer check-ups and health screenings for employees.

“It can be simple stuff. Businesses can provide incentives [for employees] to improve health. They can provide the resources to achieve those goals,” said executive director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, Ken Thorpe.

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