As a family physician, I am no stranger to diabetes and prediabetes—the disease afflicts far too many of my patients. The same holds true for every other primary care doctor and most specialists in this country.
Diabetes is a tremendous burden on our people: 26 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, while another 79 million have prediabetes. Among seniors, the percentage is even higher—roughly 50 percent of American seniors are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Not surprisingly, it is one of our nation’s most pressing disease burdens.
That is why the AMA decided to take on diabetes prevention as a key part of our strategic plan. We knew preventing this disease was an important and necessary step in improving America’s health and bringing costs into focus. And we now have data that shows systematic prevention not only will save lives but also can save more than one billion health care dollars.
At the end of February, the AMA, in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association and the YMCA of the USA, released a study that estimates the country would save $1.3 billion over the next 10 years if as few as 3–5 percent of America’s seniors enroll in a program like the YMCA’s National Diabetes Prevention Program.
Specifically, the study looked at the value of covering diabetes prevention for eligible Medicare beneficiaries, which is the subject of a bill in congressional committee.
This bill, the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Act of 2013, would amend the Social Security Act to cover participation in the evidence-based National Diabetes Prevention Program to eligible Medicare beneficiaries. The program currently is being offered at YMCA locations in more than 90 metropolitan areas.
Essentially, the program involves classes in which participants receive weekly evidence-based instructions to help them make lifestyle modifications. So far, it has helped participants lose an average of 4.9 percent of their body weight—a proven step in slowing or preventing diabetes.
The diabetes prevention bill is an important one. It will save lives, and its cost will be more than repaid with money saved by having a healthier senior population.
As part of our Improving Health Outcomes initiative, the AMA is partnering with the YMCA to establish a process for physicians to increase screening for diabetes and prediabetes and refer patients to the Diabetes Prevention Program at their local YMCA. The YMCA then will share information about the patient’s progress with the physician, so he or she can integrate it into the patient’s care plan.
We are creating this process with physicians in pilot locations in four states—two of which we officially unveiled just this week: Indianapolis and Minnesota’s Twin Cities. In Indianapolis, we’re working with the multi-specialty practice group IU Health Physicians, which represents 200 doctors. An estimated 1.6 million people in that city are living with prediabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
In the Twin Cities, we’re collaborating with United Family Medicine’s Twin Cities branch, which has 46 physicians and residents. An estimated two-thirds of the adult population has prediabetes in this part of Minnesota, so our work in the pilot phase will be very important for both states.
Another pilot location we announced in December is Delaware, where we’ve teamed up with four practices representing 50 primary care physicians and 28 residents in primary care training. We plan to announce pilot locations in a fourth state in the coming months.
This collaboration holds great promise. When America’s physicians work together with patients, local communities and other members of the health care team, we can have a tremendous impact on health outcomes.
