Diabetes Among Hospitalized Patients in California

According to a study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, found that among all hospitalized California patients aged 35 or older - the age group that accounts for most hospitalizations - 31 percent had diabetes. Diabetes is one of the nation's fastest-growing diseases and one of the most costly. It adds an extra $1.6 billion dollars every year to hospitalization costs in California, with hospital stays for patients with diabetes costing nearly $2,200 more than stays for non-diabetic patients. Three-quarters of that care is paid through Medicare and Medi-Cal, including $254 million in costs that are paid by Medi-Cal alone. Imperial County, with 41 percent of its hospitalized patients suffering from diabetes, leads the state, followed by Solano (36.2 percent), Yuba (35.7 percent), Merced (35.7 percent), Fresno (35.1 percent) and Sacramento (34.5 percent) counties. Source: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research