U.S. Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Fred Upton (R-MI), and members of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus introduced legislation on Nov. 1 that would help people with diabetes on Medicare access self-management training to help them stay healthy.
More than 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, and Medicare spends a third of its dollars treating diabetes. However, only a small number of Medicare beneficiaries take advantage of a free training course to help them prevent or manage diabetes, lawmakers explained.
The Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act, H.R. 5804, was introduced by the congressmen with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA). If enacted, the bill would improve access to diabetes outpatient self-management training services and require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test virtual diabetes self-training services.
“We need to shift our health care economy from a model focused only on sick care to one which prioritizes wellness and healthy lifestyles,” said Rep. Kelly, vice chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus.
Saying that seniors under the Medicare program often lack access to the same benefits as individuals who have private insurance, Rep. Kelly said the bill he helped introduce would close that gap for diabetics. “Diabetes self-management training is an important tool for individuals with diabetes to manage their condition and live healthier, more fulfilled lives,” he said.
H.R. 5804 would eliminate cost-sharing for diabetes self-management training; allow seniors to use all 10 hours of training as they need it; expand the number of providers who are eligible to refer patients to diabetes self-management services; and would create a pilot program to test virtual training, according to a bill summary.
“More than 34 million Americans live with diabetes, and some 88 million are managing a prediabetes diagnosis,” Rep. Upton said. “Fortunately, we know that folks can take a number of steps to manage this condition and lead a healthy lifestyle. This bipartisan legislation would expand access to critical diabetes self-management services that allow folks on Medicare to take control of their own wellbeing and have the peace of mind we all want in terms of our health.”
The legislation is endorsed by more than 20 national organizations in the Diabetes Advocacy Alliance.