Medicare a Weapon Against Diabetes

A UCLA study recently concluded that elderly African American and Latino diabetics have a mortality rate two to three times higher than their white counterparts. The UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture used information from surveys and death certificates in Los Angeles County.

Now another study--a nationwide clinical trial--shows that the best preventers of adult-onset diabetes are a healthful, lowered-fat diet and regular exercise. Obviously, better outreach and health education should be priorities. But getting good medical advice also means having a doctor to go to.

The UCLA study found that only 71% of elderly Latino immigrants in the county were enrolled in Medicare. The figure for whites was 95% and for U.S.-born Latinos 89%. Part of the problem is a complex application process and a lack of Spanish-language outreach.

The survey projects that by next year there will be about 53,000 Latino elderly in Los Angeles County who are not enrolled in Medicare. This puts more strain on emergency rooms, which offer the medical care of last resort. Raising Medicare enrollment may be the quickest way to both stave off diabetes deaths and remove a little pressure from overburdened county health facilities.