3 things you can do today

On August 22, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) Act (S. 3366) in the U.S. Senate. This is the Senate companion to legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 10 by Representatives Tom Reed (R-NY) and Diana DeGette (D-CO). AADE worked in collaboration with the Diabetes Advocacy Alliance and our Senate champions to introduce this important piece of legislation. 

Now that legislation has been introduced in the House and the Senate, we need the help of all diabetes educators to build support for these bills on Capitol Hill. 

1. Send a letter to your legislator
2. Call or Tweet your members of Congress urging them to support this important legislation by becoming a cosponsor. 
3. Share this post with your friends and colleagues

Why is this bill important?

As diabetes educators, we know that self-management can be a path to a better quality of life. However, barriers within the Medicare benefit keep some of our most vulnerable citizens from accessing DSMT. The Expanding Access to DSMT Act (H.R. 5768 and S. 3366) will reduce barriers and improve Medicare beneficiary access to DSMT services in the following ways:

• Allows the initial 10 hours of DSMT during the first year to remain available until fully utilized. If there’s a determination of medical necessity, then an additional 6 hours of training/ education may be added.
• Allows 6 hours of DSMT in subsequent years, up from 2 hours. 
• Removes the restriction related to coverage of DSMT and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) services furnished on the same day.
• Excludes DSMT services from Part B cost-sharing and deductible requirements.
• Permits physicians and qualified non-physician practitioners who are not directly involved in managing an individual’s diabetes to refer them for DSMT services. An example would be a specialist treating a comorbidity like gangrene or vision loss, or an emergency room doctor.
• Revises the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual to allow DSMT services to be furnished in a community-based location.]
• Establishes a 2-year demonstration of virtual DSMT, potentially paving the way for future Medicare coverage of virtual DSMT services.