Chronic illnesses, such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease, are costing Michigan big bucks, according to a study released Tuesday that puts a hard price tag on the annual cost of care for such conditions. The average yearly cost of treating someone with a chronic condition can be as much as $38,270 more than caring for a patient with no long-term ailments, the Ann Arbor-based Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation found. The report is part of the center's series of studies investigating what is driving up health care costs. It comes at a time when the industry and the federal government through health reform are striving to slow these fast-rising costs.
