[Jobs] [ACBT] The Cost of Visual Impairments?

Wed Dec 27 12:50:33 CST 2006

Did this article ever mention that with employment of the blind and visually
impaired, a lot of those costs can be cut down as the people get jobs. The
jobs create a tax from their wages that might reduce the burden on the
American government. It would also create more independent people  who are
less likely to resort to nursing homes and other alternative living
facilities? Did it say that with better awareness of the abilities and not
the disabilities of those who are blind ore visually impaired, we can
produce products, perform services and manage small companies, supervise
teams and organizations and even own Professional Sports teams? It sounds
really bleak until you let the blind see it. Pardon the pun. I have a theory
that I learned a long time ago when I was teaching firefighter training in
Delaware in the late 80's and early nineties. Learn Do Teach. If someone
whether it be big government or local citizen would teach us the trick of
the trade and then we go out and do it and then, Teach others, we can reduce
the burden of this cost. Then we educate those who might be starting to have
these symptoms of all of those eye diseases so that they get checked out
earlier than later and suddenly the costs goes down a little bit. I am not
so blind that I can't see where the costs are created from but as the report
says, if people go in sooner they are more likely to reduce the chances of
catastrophic results of the disease. Creating this education could reduce
the number of people who need more treatments, more education and more
assistive technology in the future. I teach people how to write resumes,
research and get jobs and start a new life everyday. Lets talk to the
companies who thought that hiring one blind person was worth all the
"Trouble" to make it happen. Then lets talk to the people next door to them
and tell them what their neighbor did and how it has worked out for them.
Then lets get everyone in American to believe in their own selves or  their
next door neighbor and talk about what people with these abilities can and
will do. Lets all drop the D I S in Disabilities and talk about our
abilities. Just try it once and then try it again. Ask, just ask. Ask for a
five minute conversation. Ask for an opportunity to work for a company. Ask
your boss to allow you to introduce them to some with a visual impairment.
So what if they say no the first time. Ask again. We have to believe in
ourselves and that is not easy sometimes. But if we don't believe in
ourselves first, then who will. If you know someone who doesn't believe in
themselves, then believe in them for them. Create the more positive
attitude. Create Americans who still help their neighbor and their friend in
need. We give up too easily and that is what creates a lot of people in
these nursing homes that they mention in the article. Lets create
neighborhoods again where people know their next door neighbors. Get to know
them and then get to love them and help them. As the subject line says, the
cost of visual impairments are staggering. Knowing your neighbors costs
nothing but a little bit of time. As we get to know them and network with
them, we learn a lot. Help them in need and reduce the cost of living,
reduce the cost of life and reduce the cost of visual impairments. You just
might   point out something to someone who goes to the doctor early and gets
a check up. Go figure what one person can do and then multiply that by just
the number of people who are reading this extremely long reply. What if we
just do that. And then pass it forward. Lets help out our friend and
neighbor. If we can just do that we might just help out the good old
government to reduce the cost of visual impairments. 

Best regards,

Mark Marvel
President
Blind Ambitions Groups
1222 Commerce Street
Suite 406
Dallas, TX 75202
Toll-free: (888) 760-9252
Phone: (214) 760-9252
Fax: (214) 760-9254
Mobile: (214) 796-5868
Email: mark.marvel at blindambitionsgroups.org
Website: www.blindambitionsgroups.org
"We may have lost our sight but we have not lost our VISION"

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-----Original Message-----
From: ACBT at yahoogroups.com [mailto:ACBT at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Diego
Demaya
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2006 11:26 AM
To: ACBT at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ACBT] The Cost of Visual Impairments?

Hi all,

I saw this rather interesting article summarizing yet another Medical
Journal article--which may well mean that unless you read the original item
we'll never know the real reason behind the research and why it was
produced.  Apparently, visual conditions cost the US economy Billions of
dollars and impose quite a burden...

Source: JAMA and Archives Journals
Date: December 12, 2006

Major Visual Disorders In People Over 40 May Be Costing U.S. Economy
Billions

Science Daily — Major visual disorders in Americans older than 40 years may
cost the U.S. economy an estimated $35.4 billion a year, according to a
report in the December issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the
JAMA/Archives journals.

Millions of Americans have visual impairment, blindness or other eye
diseases, according to background information in the article. These diseases
include age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, diabetic
retinopathy, primary open-angle glaucoma and refractive errors, which are
correctable with glasses or contact lenses. In addition to direct medical
costs, other direct costs, such as nursing home health care, are related to
these major visual disorders. Productivity losses also occur when
individuals with visual impairment cannot work or earn lower wages.

David B. Rein, Ph.D., of RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.,
and colleagues analyzed the financial burden of eye diseases in 2004. The
researchers used private insurance and Medicare claim data to approximate
direct medical costs. Evidence from published sources provided information
about other direct costs, consisting of nursing home care, government
purchase programs and guide dogs for the blind. Data from a national survey
about labor and income were used to estimate productivity losses.

Researchers found that major visual disorders cost the U.S. an estimated
$16.2 billion in direct medical costs, $11.1 billion in other direct costs
and $8 billion in productivity losses, bringing the total annual financial
burden to an estimated $35.4 billion. The annual governmental budgetary
impact, calculated by adding the portion of the financial burden estimate
produced by the government to additional amounts of social welfare payments
from the federal treasury to people with visual impairment and blindness,
was found to be $13.7 billion.

Direct medical costs were estimated to be approximately $6.8 billion for
cataracts, $5.5 billion for refractive error, $2.9 billion for glaucoma,
$575 million for AMD and $493 million for diabetic retinopathy. The majority
of direct medical costs included outpatient services and medications, while
inpatient costs accounted for almost no costs. Refractive error made up the
largest share of direct medical costs for those age 40 to 64 (46.2 percent),
while cataracts accounted for the largest portion among patients 65 years
and older (56.2 percent). "Increased overall costs for AMD and cataracts
among patients aged 65 years and older were attributable to increased
numbers of patients who use outpatient services for these conditions," the
authors write.

Many costs are expected to increase in the future as the American population
ages, the authors note. "Public health efforts to screen for and treat
currently undiagnosed disease may be likely to increase direct medical care
costs, but if effective, they will also improve visual outcomes, and
potentially reduce productivity losses and nursing home placements
associated with visual impairment and blindness," they conclude. 
"Technological advancements that lead to reductions in the unit costs of
glasses, cataract surgery and medications to treat glaucoma have the
potential to lead to substantial direct medical cost savings.".

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by JAMA and
Archives Journals.

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