AMA Lauds Efforts to Expand Medicare Coverage for Diabetes Prevention

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Dr. Andrew Gurman, president-elect of the American Medical Assoc., recently applauded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for moving toward authorizing coverage for the National Diabetes Prevention Program for Medicare beneficiaries at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The announcement, he said, signifies an important step toward ensuring all Americans at risk for type 2 diabetes have access to the resources they need.

“The Diabetes Prevention Program has been shown to provide significant cost savings for Medicare participants,” Gurman said. “These cost savings could benefit some of the more than 86 million American adults currently living with pre-diabetes. Research shows that up to one-third of these individuals will develop type 2 diabetes within five years unless they lose weight through healthy eating and increased physical activity.

“As part of our ongoing efforts to improve the health of the nation,” he added, “we will continue to support and advocate for policies aimed at reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes and reducing the fiscal burden associated with the disease.”