Diabetes cost the United States $245 billion in 2012. The new figure represents a 41% rise in just five years. The $245 billion includes $176 in direct medical costs (such as hospital and emergency care, visits to the doctor, and medications), and $69 billion resulting from indirect costs (such as absenteeism, reduced productivity, diabetes-related job loss, and productivity loss due to premature deaths). 26 million adults and children have type 2 diabetes, and another 79 million have pre-diabetes. Medical expenditure for people with diabetes is about 2.3 times higher than for people who don’t have the disease.
American Diabetes Association, March 2013