U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced a bipartisan bill on Wednesday to expand Medicare coverage to include preventative care for diabetes in the form of medical nutrition therapy.
Medicare only covers medical nutrition therapy services for beneficiaries diagnosed with diabetes and renal disease under current law. The Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act would extend coverage to beneficiaries with prediabetes, or those at elevated risk for type-2 diabetes.
“With one of the highest rates of adult diabetes in the nation and a considerable prediabetes population, West Virginia is no stranger to the costs and challenges associated with this disease,” Capito said. “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 it.”
Approximately 30 million Americans, which accounts for 9.3 percent of the nation’s population, have diabetes, and about 30 percent of the nation’s population has prediabetes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.
The Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act would address the issue by expanding coverage of medical nutrition therapy services, which includes a nutrition and lifestyle assessment, a review of dietary habits, individual nutrition counseling and follow-up appointments to monitor progress.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), who introduced the bipartisan bill with Capito, said investing in preventative care will save taxpayer dollars by reducing Medicare spending.