I’ve written plenty about the road that someone with diabetes has to deal with in getting life insurance, but for just a few minutes I’d like to step out of my life insurance shoes for a minute and talk about the critical issue of those who don’t have or don’t have enough health insurance.

Diabetes is a costly disease to deal with when you factor in the testing materials, drugs and regular MD visits. I read an article today that underscored the impact of this recession and the imperative need to find some way to make health care available to those who can’t afford it. The fact that really drove home what is happening is the fact that while 1.3 million more people were diagnosed with diabetes during the last year, sales of diabetes medications dropped. People are going without treatment and medical followup.

I don’t know any sensitive or gentle way to put this, and believe me this is not aimed at those suffering financially, but not treating or under treating diabetes is a slow, painful death sentence. As your treatment wanes and your glucose levels rise your body begins to succumb to the collateral health issues that have been held at bay. Heart disease and kidney failure become immediate concerns. Neuropathy and retinopathy can take hold quickly when glucose control goes out the window. Diabetes is simply not something that you can let slide for a while.

Bottom line. In my quest to help people understand the implications of good or poor control of diabetes and what that means for life insurance, and for their life, I haven’t been as in tune as I should have with what the cost of maintaining that control can be.