Irritable Bowel Syndrome

AMA/FDA Approved Treatment Procedures With Standard Healthcare Insurance Indirect costs range from $355 to $3,344 in 2002 Annual direct health care costs range from $348 to $8750 in 2002 According to the general consensus of the western medical community, there is no cure for IBS $6,960 - $175,000 spent over a 20 year period, not including medical care cost increases from 2002 to today Indirect costs over a 20 year period - $7,100 - $66,880+ $14,060 - $241,880 total cost over 20 years period Job loss, time off work and productivity losses add additional cost from loss of direct income

HealthWalk Wellness Package $2500 plus the cost of supplements over a few months for lifelong results $240-$600 per year for supplementation to enhance and support immune and digestive systems Annual checkup depending on the case, from $525 - $685 Over 20 year period, $15,300-$25,700 for supplementation and annual maintenance visits.

For those with insurance coverage, out of pocket expenses as incurred from traditional medical services supersede (within two years) those expenses incurred through an integrative holistic approach at HealthWalk.

Those without health coverage, expenses accrued through conventional medical care will be over 100 times as expensive as compared to the HealthWalk protocol for Diabetes assistance because treatment continues indefinitely.

Over 20 years when choosing HealthWalk the savings range from about even to $216,180+. The savings with HealthWalk have not factored in the additional indirect costs that can occur with conventional AMA approved treatment procedures such as time off from work.

Since HealthWalk works with IBS sufferers by addressing the root causes of the illness the opportunity to completely rid the body of IBS and it’s symptoms is in your hands and available. In addition there is a significant savings associated with receiving care from HealthWalk as compared to other centers that merely treat the symptoms for an indefinite period of time.

With the rising cost of Healthcare, the choice is clear.

“Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) significantly impairs quality of life, burdens sufferers with high out-of-pocket costs and causes losses in productivity. It is estimated that over 20% of the US population (primarily women) have this condition. The root cause is still being debated. The aggregate cost of irritable bowel syndrome in the United States has been estimated at $1.7-$10 billion in direct medical costs, with an additional $20 billion in indirect costs, for a total of $21.7-$30 billion¹.”

In 2002, the total direct cost estimates per patient per year ranged from $348 to $8,750 and indirect costs ranged from $355 to $3,344².

The total annual productivity loss for the USA is estimated at $205 million. The substantial hidden costs incurred from IBS are a result of absenteeism from work and health problems while at work. IBS is the second most common reason for reporting sick after the common cold. Moreover, individuals with IBS need more frequent and lengthier bathroom breaks than individuals with a less sensitive and reactive colon³.

A 1995 publication noted that IBS patients chalk up an estimated 2.4 to 3.5 million visits each year and receive an estimated 2.2 million prescriptions -- often very expensive prescriptions. The study was limited to direct costs, representing only a proportion of the total socioeconomic impact of IBS on society.

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, there is no cure for IBS⁴, which means if you choose to treat your condition by only addressing the symptoms, your out of pocket medical expenses will continue to increase over time. A study comparing medical costs of IBS patients to those without amounted to a 49% annual increase in medical costs associated with a diagnosis of IBS⁵.

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1. Hulisz D. (2004). "The burden of illness of irritable bowel syndrome: current challenges and hope for the future."J Manag Care Pharm. 10 (4): 299–309. PMID 15298528
2. http://ideas.repec.org/a/wkh/phecon/v24y2006i1p21-37.html
3. National Healthcare Costs for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Highlight Shaman's Effective Low-cost Product, Business Wire, Dec 14, 2000
4. Mayer EA (2008). "Clinical practice. Irritable bowel syndrome". N. Engl. J. Med. 358 (16): 1692–9. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp0801447. PMID 18420501
5. Levy RL, Von Korff M, Whitehead WE, Stang P, Saunders K, Jhingran P, Barghout V, Feld AD. (2001). "Costs of care for irritable bowel syndrome patients in a health maintenance organization". Am J Gastroenterol 96 (11): 3122–9. doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2001.05258.x. PMID 11721759