When Damascus Moffett saw his aunt struggling to afford the supplies she needed to manage her diabetes, he started looking for help.
“(My aunt) was going through the hoops of trying to get diabetic supplies, and then I met a lady right down the road who had some,” Moffett said. “I thought to myself, ‘Why wouldn’t I help out my aunt and ask this lady, did she have any extras?’”
What grew from that effort was a small support network, with neighbors helping neighbors find the tools needed to manage diabetes. Moffett’s experience reflects a wider problem in Mississippi, where nearly 1 in 7 people are living with the disease, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Irena McClain, executive director of the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, said the state ranks among the top five in the nation for diabetes diagnoses. Most of those cases are Type 2 diabetes.
According to America’s Health Rankings, about 346,900 adults in Mississippi are living with diabetes. That is 15.2% of the adult population, compared with 12% nationally.
Cost of diabetic care
For many families, the challenge is not just managing the disease. It is paying for the care that comes with it.
The American Diabetes Association reports medical costs for people with diabetes are about 2.6 times higher than for those without the condition.
In 2022, Mississippians with diabetes spent about $3.4 billion on direct medical costs. The Mississippi State Department of Health reported that, as of 2016, Medicaid recipients with diabetes averaged more than $10,400 in yearly medical costs per person.
McClain said those expenses can strain families, even when they have insurance. For people who lose Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, that burden can grow even heavier.
“It would be ideal if we all had insurance… because then people (wouldn’t) have to pay such huge amounts out of pocket,” McClain said. “(Losing coverage) requires a lot of thinking and planning, like, ‘Am I going to be able to pay the rent or the house note? Am I going to be able to put food on the table, pay the electric bill?’”
Moffett said the high cost of supplies, especially glucose sensors, is what pushed him to search for help in the community.
For insured patients, sensors can cost up to $75 a month. Without insurance, that cost can rise to $500. Most sensors last seven to 15 days, although some implantable versions can last up to 180 days.
Those sensors let patients track glucose levels in real time, which can help prevent dangerous spikes and drops. Without them, patients face greater risks of short-term emergencies and long-term health complications.
Moffett said having the right supplies at the right time can directly affect a person’s health.
“It’s very important because I’ve just seen my aunt go through a lot of stuff,” Moffett said. “I just know how much of a factor that it plays for her and her health.”
McClain said insulin costs also remain a concern. She said Americans often pay more than patients in other countries, and policymakers are still exploring ways to lower prices through Medicare waivers, insulin caps and other pricing reforms.
Prevention and early warning signs
Dr. Lara Otaigbe, a family physician at Southern Medical Care, said she has seen diabetes shape lives both personally and professionally.
“I knew what weight threshold triggered that for me. Both my parents were diabetics, a little later in life,” Otaigbe said.
She said nearly 75% of her patients have diabetes. She pointed to both environmental and lifestyle factors as possible contributors.
“We’re talking about things like your water, pesticides, what we call hormone disruptors that are in the foods that we eat,” Otaigbe said. “Then we’re talking about lifestyle issues such as are we active, are we playing sports, are we going out for walks.”
Otaigbe said rural communities can face added barriers, including limited access to healthy food and safe places to exercise.
“When there is a lower income level, it’s much cheaper to feed a family of four on perhaps a diet of McDonald’s every day than it is to get the fresh vegetables and stuff on the table,” Otaigbe said. “There’s definitely a disadvantage and increased risk there.”
As diabetes cases continue to rise, Otaigbe said early detection matters. She said prevention and awareness remain critical, especially because many Type 2 diabetes cases are tied to lifestyle factors.
“Until people are vested in themselves, in terms of taking responsibility for their own health to do the best that they can, I don’t see that things are going to change,” Otaigbe said. “The disease process starts probably 10 years before you actually have that diagnosis.”
She said warning signs can include excessive thirst, frequent urination and vision changes. Darkening of the neck, groin and underarms can also signal insulin resistance.
This report was produced by the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at the University of Southern Mississippi.