Newswise — Washington, DC—The Secretary of the Department Health and Human Services (HHS), Sylvia Burwell, announced today that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to provide coverage for the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP). The Endocrine Society is pleased with HHS’ decision to provide coverage and looks forward to working with the agency and with coalition partners to ensure that this program has a measurable impact on the lives of people with prediabetes.
The NDPP is an evidence-based lifestyle intervention program that has been shown to reduce or delay the onset of diabetes by 71 percent in the Medicare population. NDPP promotes weight loss and encourages increased physical activity and healthier eating habits for people with prediabetes via a core 16-session lifestyle intervention: one hour a week, in a group setting, directed by a lifestyle coach. Studies show that Medicare saved $2,650 for each individual who was enrolled in a program, as individuals were able to substantially reduce their risk for future diabetes.
Over the past five years, the Endocrine Society has been a leading advocate calling for Medicare coverage of NDPP, meeting with both Congressional offices and federal agencies and working with other diabetes advocates.
The proposed expansion in Medicare coverage was made possible by provisions in the Affordable Care Act, which was signed into law six years ago today. Today, the Endocrine Society is releasing policy recommendations to improve care for people with diabetes as the government continues to implement the healthcare law.
Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.
The Society, which is celebrating its centennial in 2016, has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.
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