Support the Diabetes Educator's Bill

Congressional Legislation

Improve access to Diabetes Self-Management Training
Bill # H.R.2425

Original Sponsor:
Diana DeGette (D-CO 1st)

Cosponsor Total: 5
(last sponsor added 05/14/2009)
3 Democrats
2 Republicans






About This Legislation:

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to diabetes self-management training by designating certain certified diabetes educators as certified providers for purposes of outpatient diabetes self-management training services under part B of the Medicare Program.

Detailed, up-to-date bill status information on H.R.2425

Currently, Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE's) are not recognized as providers by CMS (unless the CDE is also a Registered Dietitian). This means that CDE's must be tied to a hospital or clinic and bill through the agency. Hospitals and clinics are closing their programs left and right, mostly for financial reasons, it's just so difficult to maintain a profitable DSMT program that unless the agency is willing to keep the program open as a community service, the program is closed. This bill would recognize CDE's as providers, who then could operate independently hopefully increasing access for patients to diabetes education.

P.S. The Medicare benefit for Diabetes Education is currently 10 hours in the initial 12-month period, and 2 hours of follow-up annually.

Medicaid still covers DSMT (Diabetes Self-Management Training) in some states, but as you have stated, that is not the case everywhere. You're right, it is a shame, especially when the highest-risk individuals are blocked from access.

Currently, the American Diabetes Association and the American Association of Diabetes Educators are the two accrediting bodies accepted by CMS to recognize diabetes education programs. A diabetes education program cannot be reimbursed by medicare unless the program has undergone the recognition process and found in compliance. The standards are quite stringent and specify everything from topics that must be covered, to who must serve on the advisory board, QI process, documentation, and so forth.