5 Things Every Veteran Should Know About Diabetes

FINAL FOR THE VETERAN OF THE VETERAN SHARE OF THE DAY

It is estimated that one in four Veterans have diabetes, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs. In fact, veterans are 2.5 times more likely than nonveterans to have diabetes which has led to the VA spending around $1.5 billion annually to treat this disease. Overall around 4% of the VA pharmacy spending is used on drugs for diabetes.

As of 2017, more than 20% of all health care spending was put towards treating diabetes.*

These statistics apply to diagnosed diabetes, but it is believed that there are many veterans who are suffering from a form of diabetes without knowing it. Because diabetes can develop into a very serious condition, it is important to know what to look for in order to determine if you should be checked out.

In this article, you will find the 5 things that every veteran should know about diabetes including, diabetes in its various forms, how to recognize it, and what benefits are available to you if you do have diabetes.