Reed, DeGette Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Diabetes Self-Management Training

Statement

Today, Representatives Tom Reed (R-NY) and Diana DeGette (D-CO), co-chairs of the Diabetes Caucus, introduced legislation to expand Medicare access for diabetes self-management training (DSMT) sessions to help train patients to manage their glucose, maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy foods, manage their insulin levels, and improve general care for their diabetes.

"We care about people struggling with diabetes and it is important they have fair access to the resources they need to manage this disease," Co-Chair of the Diabetes Caucus Rep. Tom Reed said. "With one in every three Medicare dollars spent on diabetes, this bill is common sense -- not only to save taxpayers money -- but to help people struggling with this condition."

"Diabetes is a complex disease and teaching newly diagnosed patients how to best care for themselves is crucial to their overall well-being," Co-Chair of the Diabetes Caucus Rep. Diana DeGette said. "Medicare provides its beneficiaries a free training course to teach them how to best cope with the effects of their diabetes. But, while this program teaches patients how to eat well, exercise, monitor blood glucose levels and manage medications, only a small percentage of the Medicare beneficiaries who have diabetes are taking advantage of it. This bill seeks to change that by expanding the program and making it more accessible to the millions of Medicare beneficiaries who are currently living with this disease."

"As a vice co-chair of the Diabetes Caucus, I support this legislation, which will ensure that the more than 30 million Americans struggling with diabetes have better access to self-management training," said Rep. Mike Kelly, Vice-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. "This is critical, and will improve the lives of those struggling with this disease and reduce future medical costs for not only that individual, but the entire healthcare system."

"As a physician, I've treated patients in the emergency department whose insulin levels fluctuated to life-threatening levels," said Dr. Raul Ruiz, Vice-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus. "The millions of Americans living with diabetes deserve access to education and disease management that can help them live healthy, productive lives. I am proud to cosponsor this common-sense legislation, which will empower patients to effectively manage their diabetes."

"The most recent data from the Indiana State Department of Health indicate diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the state," Rep. Susan Brooks, Vice-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus said. "It is critically important Medicare beneficiaries in Indiana and across the country have the resources they need to manage their diabetes. I am proud the Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) Act works to provide better support and education to Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes about their conditions, as well as helpful self-management techniques, in order to improve their lives while reducing health care costs."

"This bipartisan legislation will help give diabetes patients the necessary training to self-manage this chronic illness," Rep. Suzan DelBene, Vice-Chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus said. Self-management will likely mean lower health care costs thanks to fewer complications and fewer expensive visits to the hospital. I encourage the House to pass this commonsense legislation that puts control back in the hands of patients and supports important diabetes treatments."

"Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) is proven to provide positive results for people living with diabetes," LaShawn McIver, MD, MPH, ADA's Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Advocacy said. "Unfortunately, it has been under-utilized for people with diabetes enrolled in Medicare. The ADA strongly supports efforts in Congress to strengthen DSMT and we applaud Congresswoman DeGette and Congressman Reed for introducing this legislation in the House. We look forward to working with them to advance this bill."

"DPAC is glad that Representatives Reed and DeGette, along with the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, recognize the barriers Medicare beneficiaries have to overcome to access diabetes self-management training," CEO of the Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Christel Marchand Aprigliano said. "Patients want to take care of their diabetes in order to stay healthy, and when we provide them with the tools to do so, outcomes are better for everybody. We hope that this bill will help patients take advantage of this survival-skills training so that they may live healthier, happier lives."

"On behalf of the Diabetes Advocacy Alliance, we appreciate Representatives DeGette and Reed's leadership on this legislation. DAA member organizations appreciated the opportunity to work collaboratively with the bill sponsors to identify barriers to DSMT for Medicare beneficiaries," Meredith Dyer, DAA Co-chair, Endocrine Society said. "The DAA is committed to increasing support for this legislation in the 116th Congress."

DSMT is associated with a reduction in risk for diabetes-related death and heart attack and is also associated with improved self-care behavior and wellness, which greatly reduces hospital care costs.