Excess rates of several preventable diseases among African Americans and Latinos will cost the healthcare system $23.9 billion in 2009, according to a study published by the Urban Institute. The excess cost of conditions including diabetes, hypertension, and stroke among these populations is estimated at $15.6 billion for Medicare and $5.1 billion for private insurers. Over the next decade, the total cost is approximately $337 billion. Left unchecked, these annual costs will more than double by 2050 as the representation of Latinos and African Americans among the elderly increases, the authors conclude.
