Diabetes is a costly disease, but a new prevention program being tested at YMCA centers across the country has proven successful at reducing type 2 diabetes risk and heading off many of the expenses associated with this condition.
The program was developed with an $11.8 million grant through the Affordable Care Act. As part of the pilot program, 42,000 participants with prediabetes (i.e. those with risk factors including high blood sugar, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle) were paired with a lifestyle coach who would meet with them once a week to go over diabetes risk, nutrition, and an exercise plan. The goal was for participants to start eating smaller, healthier meal portions, gradually increase their exercise to 150 minutes a week, and lose 5-7% of their body weight.
Participants enrolled in the nationwide program lost an average of 5.5% of their body weight. One federally-funded study found that when individuals with prediabetes lose at least 5% of their body weight through exercise and healthy eating, there is a 58% reduction in the incidence of diabetes.
YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program Participant Feedback
Based on the success of the program, the Obama administration wants Medicare to cover the cost of similar lifestyle coaching services for beneficiaries who are at high risk for developing diabetes. If implemented, this program could dramatically reduce Medicare costs. The Department of Health and Human Services reports that one out of every three Medicare dollars is currently being spent on diabetes treatment.
As of 2012, 29 million Americans had diabetes, and another 86 million had prediabetes. In addition to the cost of diabetes medications, many individuals with diabetes also have medical costs related to diabetes complications or co-morbid conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attack stroke, vision problems, kidney disease, and amputations. According to the American Diabetes Association, the annual cost of diagnosed diabetes in the US is $245 billion.
The new diabetes prevention program is projected to save Medicare about $2,650 per participant over the course of 15 months, more than covering the cost of implementation. The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to propose rules this summer to have Medicare cover prevention services.
