But while new medicines and combination therapies can be expensive, the cost of treating complications from untreated diabetes would create a much larger burden on government and private health plans and patient pocketbooks.
"Diabetes and, in particular, type 2 diabetes, is becoming much more prevalent among people of all ages," Medco Chief Medical Officer Robert Epstein said in a statement.
"While prevention of type 2 diabetes needs to be a national priority, drug treatments can help prevent the onset of complications from diabetes that lead to hospitalizations, more complex treatment and dramatically higher costs," Epstein said.
"For those patients who depend on medications to avoid serious complications, compliance is paramount."
Health plan initiatives to encourage more preventive care can also curb spending growth, the report said.
