The Cost of Ignoring the Root Cause of Chronic Disease

• A major study reveals chronic conditions heighten financial vulnerability — A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine² evaluated more than 2.85 million adults and found that over 38% had at least one chronic condition. While many assume that health insurance protects against major medical expenses, their findings show that those with chronic conditions are much more likely to struggle with unpaid medical bills, delinquent debt, and even bankruptcy.

• As the number of chronic conditions increases, so does the likelihood of financial strain — Among individuals with no chronic illnesses, only 7.6% had medical debt in collections. However, that number skyrocketed to 32% for those with seven to 13 chronic conditions. This pattern was also seen in nonmedical debt in collections, which affected only 7.2% of those without chronic illness but increased to 24% among those with the most medical issues.

• Delinquent debt and poor credit scores are more common with chronic illness — Delinquent debt, meaning missed payments on any type of debt, was found among 14% of healthy individuals, compared to nearly 43% among those with multiple chronic conditions.

The financial toll of chronic illness also extends to credit scores and bankruptcy rates. Individuals with no chronic illnesses only had a 17% chance of having a low credit score, while it was 47% for those managing seven to 13 chronic conditions.

• Bankruptcy rates rise dramatically with more chronic conditions — Bankruptcy rates also climbed, with 1.7% of those with multiple chronic conditions filing for bankruptcy, a fourfold increase compared to the 0.4% of healthy individuals who had to take that step. Beyond the likelihood of accumulating debt, the actual amount of medical debt in collections also increased with each additional chronic condition.

• Unpaid medical debt rises sharply with more chronic illnesses — Among those with no chronic conditions, the average amount of unpaid medical bills in collections was $784. For those with multiple chronic illnesses, that number rose to $1,252. This suggests that even with insurance, the out-of-pocket costs of ongoing treatments, medications and specialist visits quickly add up, leaving patients financially overwhelmed.

• Lost productivity from chronic disease also results in billions of dollars in economic losses each year — In 2022, the indirect costs of diabetes in the U.S. economy were estimated to be $106.3 billion.⁵ Meanwhile, cardiovascular disease alone is projected to cost the U.S. $1.1 trillion annually by 2035.⁶

• Chronic illness creates generational financial strain — When declining health forces workers to leave their jobs, the financial strain also affects their entire family. Spouses and children often become full-time caregivers and sacrifice their own careers and financial security in the process.

As medical expenses pile up and income dwindles, families are left trapped in a cycle of economic instability that stretches across generations and makes financial recovery a challenge.

• Even government programs are crumbling under the overwhelming cost of chronic disease — The 2024 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) financial report⁷ reveals that Medicare alone accounts for 22% of all U.S. healthcare spending, while Medicaid contributes another 17%. In total, these programs handle over a billion fee-for-service claims each year and represent approximately 13% of total federal outlays.

• Most Medicare and Medicaid funds are likely spent on chronic illness care — Given that chronic disease is responsible for 90% of U.S. healthcare expenditures, it is likely that a substantial portion of these Medicare and Medicaid funds are dedicated to managing chronic conditions.

More than a decade ago, Medicare was already spending vastly different amounts depending on how many chronic conditions a person had.

• Medicare costs escalate dramatically with the number of chronic conditions — In 2010, the average Medicare beneficiary with no or just one chronic illness cost the system $2,025 per year. But for those with two or three conditions, that number jumped to $5,698.

Patients with four or five chronic diseases cost an average of $12,174, while those with six or more racked up a staggering $32,658 annually.⁸ With chronic illness rates climbing higher every year, it’s safe to assume these figures have only grown worse.

• The system profits from lifelong treatment rather than curing disease — The staggering cost of chronic disease is a reflection of a medical system designed to manage symptoms instead of helping you heal, with billions funneled into medications, surgeries, and treatments that ensure a steady flow of profits for pharmaceutical companies and the medical industry. Even the best-selling drugs in the world aren’t designed to treat disease but to keep you dependent.

• Best-selling medications make billions while diseases persist or worsen — Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering drug, has made over $150 billion in sales,⁹ yet heart disease remains the leading cause of death. Similarly, insulin costs continue to climb,¹⁰ even though Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable with diet and lifestyle changes.

As long as the system profits from keeping people on medication, prevention and real solutions will be ignored. If you want to break free, you have to start looking beyond conventional medicine.

• Opioid prescriptions increase over time but don’t improve patient outcomes — A study published in Pain Medicine¹¹ found that among chronic non-cancer pain patients, opioid prescription rates jumped from 59.6% at baseline to 74.3% over two years, with a disturbing 71% of users remaining on the drugs long-term.

Strong opioid use more than doubled, rising from 13% to 31%. Despite this surge in prescriptions, patients continued to report severe pain and high levels of daily life interference.

• Long-term opioid users experience more pain and rarely discontinue use — Additionally, the study found that opioid users were more likely to experience continuous pain and disability compared to those who were not prescribed opioids. Most notably, only 1% of patients successfully discontinued opioid use over the two-year period, showing how once patients start opioid therapy, they rarely stop, even when their pain does not improve.¹²

• Opioids worsen pain over time by lowering the body’s pain threshold — Research has also demonstrated that long-term opioid use leads to opioid-induced hyperalgesia, a condition where your nervous system becomes more sensitive to pain rather than less.

Instead of providing lasting relief, opioids rewire your pain pathways, lowering your pain threshold and making discomfort feel even more intense. The very drugs meant to ease your suffering actually exacerbate it over time and trap you in a cycle of increasing pain and drug dependency.¹³

• For those navigating mental health disorders, the pattern is eerily similar — Brooke Siem, writing for The Washington Post,¹⁴ recounts how she spent nearly half her life on antidepressants, never once challenged by a doctor to reconsider the necessity of these medications. Like so many others, she accepted the notion that her only choices were to “cope with depression or cope with antidepressants.”¹⁵

Years later, she found herself staring out of her Manhattan high-rise window, contemplating suicide despite the drugs that were supposed to keep her stable. It was only when she withdrew from the medications — which involved an excruciating, months-long process riddled with withdrawal symptoms — that she realized the depth of her dependency.¹⁶

• Brooke’s story is unfortunately not a one-off case — It’s estimated that nearly 15.5 million Americans have been on antidepressants for over five years, often without reevaluation.¹⁷

Moreover, a 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry¹⁸ found that approximately 15% of individuals who discontinued antidepressants experienced withdrawal symptoms directly caused by discontinuation. In about 3% of patients, these symptoms were severe.

• Polypharmacy reduces quality of life by worsening mental and physical health — A 2021 study in Patient Related Outcome Measures¹⁹ also found that patients with a high Drug Burden Index (DBI) — which measures exposure to medications with sedative (e.g., benzodiazepines, opioids) and anticholinergic (e.g., some antihistamines, antidepressants, bladder medications) effects — reported significantly worse psychological well-being, functional limitations and an overall diminished quality of life.

• Psychological strain is especially severe with multiple chronic conditions — These conditions are particularly prevalent among individuals with cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, cancer, respiratory illnesses, degenerative diseases, chronic kidney disease, and chronic liver disorders.

The Patient Related Outcome Measures study²¹ further confirms that those with three or more chronic conditions are significantly more likely to experience poorer psychological well-being.

• The burden of chronic disease affects patients’ families, too — Research shows that 95% of chronically ill patients rely on a caregiver, usually a family member, to help with daily tasks, medications, and medical appointments.

The demands of caregiving can quickly become overwhelming, leading to exhaustion and emotional strain. Many caregivers struggle with constant fatigue, lack of support, and the heavy responsibility of managing someone else’s health while trying to keep up with their own lives.²²

• Moreover, chronic illness leaves you feeling isolated — Fatigue, pain, or mobility issues make it difficult to engage in social activities and lead individuals to withdraw from gatherings and hobbies they once enjoyed. Some friendships fade as plans get canceled and invitations stop coming. The loneliness that follows makes depression worse, creating a cycle that fuels both emotional and physical decline.²³

• Chronic illness strains marriages, relationships and even children — If you’re in a marriage or long-term partnership, the shift from equal partners to patient and caregiver can be difficult to navigate.

Research²⁴ shows that chronic illness increases the risk of divorce and relationship breakdowns, often due to financial stress, emotional exhaustion, and a loss of intimacy. If you have children, they may struggle emotionally or academically, as the focus of the household shifts toward managing your condition.²⁵

• Cellular energy is the foundation of health — Peat’s research on bioenergetic medicine, which became the foundation of my book “Your Guide to Cellular Health,” emphasizes the central role of cellular energy in disease prevention and health restoration. He rejected the low-carb approach, arguing instead that carbohydrates are essential for fueling mitochondrial function and metabolic health.

• Low-carb diets may harm mitochondrial health by restricting glucose — I was once among those who promoted a low-carb diet, but Peat’s work opened my eyes to the reality that mitochondria thrive on glucose, and that denying your body this essential fuel worsens the very conditions low-carb diets claim to treat.

Instead of promoting caloric restriction and macronutrient avoidance, Peat’s work demonstrates that adequate carbohydrate intake fuels energy production, lowers stress hormones, and supports thyroid function.²⁶

• Peat warned against seed oils and their harmful metabolic effects — Peat was also one of the most vocal critics of polyunsaturated fats (PUFs) found in seed oils, long before mainstream medicine acknowledged their risks.

His research demonstrated how excess linoleic acid, a primary component of seed oils, disrupts mitochondrial function and promotes inflammation.²⁷ While the medical community continues to promote vegetable oils as “heart-healthy,” the bioenergetic model reveals their devastating impact on metabolism.

• Important research like Peat’s has been ignored for not aligning with profit — This is just one instance where groundbreaking research has been systematically ignored in favor of profit-driven dietary guidelines.

Peat’s insights have profound implications for conditions ranging from hypothyroidism to neurodegenerative diseases, yet they remain largely unrecognized by modern medicine. It’s no surprise that conventional medicine dismissed Peat’s work as either too obscure or unworthy of serious clinical consideration, subjecting it to censorship and ridicule.

• The medical industry resists change that could reduce reliance on drugs — This deliberate suppression limited its reach, much like the work of the pioneering researchers he built upon. There is no financial motivation to promote dietary and lifestyle interventions that restore mitochondrial function, reduce pharmaceutical reliance, and reverse chronic disease. After all, the medical industry is structured around profitable treatments rather than disease prevention.