Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) on Wednesday aims to improve outcomes for people at risk for diabetes while lowering Medicare costs.
The Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act, which was introduced by Capito, Kirk and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), would extend Medicare coverage for medical nutrition therapy services to pre-diabetes patients to help prevent type-2 diabetes from developing.
Medicare is currently only able to cover services for individuals who have already been diagnosed with diabetes or renal disease.
“West Virginia is no stranger to the costs and challenges associated with diabetes,” Capito said. “We are the state with the highest rate of adult diabetes and are among the top 10 states for pre-diabetes. With the cost of medical coverage growing nearly twice as fast for diabetes patients than for all other insured people, it is important to take steps to combat the spread of this disease and contain costs. By enabling Medicare to cover nutritional therapy services for people with pre-diabetes, or those at risk of developing type-2 diabetes, the Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act will help stem the growing rate of diabetes and reduce the one-in-three Medicare dollars being spent on this disease.”
Approximately $1 of every $3 spent on Medicare goes toward diabetes care. The country spent $322 billion on pre-diabetes and diabetes in 2012, a 48 percent increase from 2007.
“Preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes is key to improving quality of life for patients,” Kirk said. “Access to nutrition therapy services will help millions of Illinois residents manage their disease and reduce health care spending overall.”
Healthcare groups like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Association of Diabetes Education, the American Diabetes Association, and the Diabetes Advocacy Alliance (DAA) have supported the bill.
“Medical nutrition therapy is a valuable service for the millions of people with diabetes but it also has the potential to provide tremendous benefits to the 86 million with pre-diabetes,” Karin Gillespie, co-chair of the DAA, said. “The DAA has long supported the Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act and we commend Sens. Peters and Capito for their leadership on this issue in the Senate.”