Comorbidity Management: A Payer's Perspective

Course overview

In the U.S., 6 out of 10 people live with a chronic disease (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention [CDC], 2021c). Chronic diseases incur the highest healthcare cost of $3.8 trillion annually and are the leading causes of death and disability (CDC, 2021c). Chronic diseases are debilitating, can last a year or more, and often require frequent medical attention. In addition, people often have more than one chronic disease. According to the CDC, 4 in 10 adults have a comorbidity of two or more chronic diseases, and more than half of adults in the U.S. have three or more chronic illnesses (CDC, 2021c; Raghupathi & Raghupathi, 2018). Many of these comorbidities may be averted by managing risk factors, addressing health disparities, and recognizing social determinants of health that contribute to chronic disease. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) can then use patient-centered approaches to help patients self-manage their health.