By 2030, the amount of money spent in the U.S. on heart disease will be three times larger than it is today, according to the American Heart Association.
The general aging of the American populace is one of the central reasons for skyrocketing health insurance costs, according to the AHA, which says the increase will total $545 billion.
A physician who headed the panel which issued the statement, Dr. Paul Heidenreich, stated that cost-cutting measures were desperately needed.
“Despite the successes in reducing and treating heart disease over the last half century, even if we just maintain our current rates, we will have an enormous financial burden on top of the disease itself,” he said.
By 2030, the study found, roughly 116 million Americans will suffer from some form of heart disease, such as high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke.
Avoiding risk factors like poor diet and insufficient exercise can not only help Americans stay heart-healthy, but can also help them save money on health insurance and life insurance premiums, experts say.
