Newswise — Washington, DC—The Endocrine Society is hosting a Congressional briefing on November 4 to examine policies to help the 29 million Americans who have diabetes and the 86 million who are likely to develop the disease.
A diabetes diagnosis affects an individual’s overall health and quality of life, and the condition is costly to treat. The nation’s total diabetes spending on medical expenditures and lost productivity has soared to $322 billion in 2012, a 48 percent increase over the course of five years.
Millions of people who have diabetes and prediabetes aren’t aware they have the disease. Better preventive care is needed to identify those who are affected before the condition worsens or they develop costly complications. Sustained funding for the National Diabetes Prevention Program and passage of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Act, which provides Medicare coverage for the program, would help people reduce their risk through a lifestyle intervention program that includes learning about choosing healthier foods and increasing physical activity.
Technologies such as the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices are available to help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. Medicare currently doesn’t cover the technology, so many people who have successfully been using the technology for years must pay out of pocket for it once they turn 65. Since CGM devices also are a building block for the artificial pancreas – a device being developed to automatically manage glucose levels and improve quality of life for people with diabetes – providing insurance coverage needs to be a priority.
The Society is holding the event in conjunction with Diabetes Awareness Month. At the November 4 briefing, leading diabetes experts and advocates will discuss policies and legislation to support diabetes management and preventive care.
What:Diabetes in America: What Policymakers Should KnowCongressional briefing hosted by the Endocrine Society
Who:Edward Damiano, PhDPrincipal Investigator, Bionic Pancreas Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University
Nicole Johnson, DrPH, MPH, MAMiss America 1999 Diabetes patient advocate
Ann Albright, PhD, RDDirector, Division of Diabetes Translation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Linda Siminerio, RN, PhD, CDEChair, National Diabetes Education Program Executive Director, University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute
Date: Wednesday, November 4, 20153-4 PM ET
Where:2322 Rayburn House Office Building
RSVP to Aaron Lohr at [email protected]. Healthy snacks will be provided.
Founded in 1916, the Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest, largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, the Endocrine Society’s membership consists of over 18,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Washington, DC. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/EndoMedia.
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