Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has great news for providers, diabetes educators, and those struggling with diabetes or prediabetes. In November of 2017, CMS established the final ruling for the expansion of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP). The expanded model's goal is to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes among Medicare beneficiaries who have been diagnosed with prediabetes. As of April 1, 2018, "eligible beneficiaries have coverage of MDPP services with no cost-sharing through Medicare-enrolled MDPP suppliers."
The program features a curriculum approved by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in a "classroom-style setting that provides practical training in long-term dietary change, increased physical activity, and behavior change strategies for weight control."MDPP suppliers are paid performance-based payments through the CMS claims system. Medicare payments to suppliers will range, and can be up to $670 per beneficiary over 2 years, depending on beneficiaries’ attendance and weight loss.
With over 84 million Americans with prediabetes and on their way to being diagnosed with Type 2, this program can help get this crisis under control and improve the health of those individuals.
If you know of anyone on Medicare who has been told they have prediabetes, let them know about this new benefit. If you would like more information on the program, view this fact sheet or visit cms.gov.
