08/11/2021

Primary Care: Are you screening for prediabetes and referring to a local MDPP?

A message from CGS—a Medicare Administrative Contractor that is also leading an education and outreach campaign aimed at improving the health of people in Kentucky and Ohio by increasing use of preventive health services.

Prediabetes Flies Under the Radar

Nearly 85% of Americans with prediabetes don’t even know they have it—often, it goes undetected until serious health conditions develop, like type 2 diabetes (T2D), heart disease, or even stroke (source). Screening your patients regularly for prediabetes can give them a chance to prevent T2D and other serious health conditions.

My Patient is At Risk for T2D. How Can I Turn this Risk into an Opportunity?

The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is available for Medicare patients with elevated blood glucose and who are overweight or obese at no cost—learn more about eligibility requirements in this fact sheet from CMS. MDPP is based on the National Diabetes Prevention Program, an evidence-based program that’s backed by years of research showing a 71% reduction of T2D risk among patients with prediabetes.

Your Referral Is Important and Easy!

Patients are more likely to participate in an MDPP if the referral comes from you—a trusted source of information for your patients on their health! Although patients can self-refer to the program, hearing from you can motivate them to participate in this important lifestyle-change program. Help your patients find a local MDPP with this referral map, which shows MDPP locations by ZIP code.

For more information on this initiative, or to find out how you can participate, contact innovation@cgsadmin.com.