November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and we are working with a broad array of partners, including the American Association of Diabetes Educators, to raise awareness about the importance of high-quality, coordinated care for beneficiaries with chronic disease.
Diabetes is a significant and growing health care problem in the United States, especially among Medicare beneficiaries. Diabetes disproportionately effects minority populations and is a major driver of health care costs. Among the Medicare population, 40 percent of Hispanics, 40 percent of African Americans, 39 percent of Asians/Pacific Islanders, and 40 percent of American Indian and Alaskan natives suffer from diabetes. Furthermore, 10 percent of all health care dollars are spent treating diabetes and its complications, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Diabetes is a complex disease that requires daily care from multiple providers, complex medication routines, and consistent monitoring. For this reason, care coordination is critical to ensure appropriate treatment and minimizing disease progression for individuals living with diabetes. Medicare Advantage plans are well equipped to provide the care diabetes patients need most—comprehensive high-quality, affordable coverage with innovative and targeted services.
In fact, evidence shows Medicare Advantage plans have demonstrated their value and success in treating Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes through leadership in executing disease management, care coordination, and other practices that have resulted in better health care outcomes and beneficiary care. Peer reviewed research has found:
- Medicare Advantage performance of eye tests for individuals with diabetes was reported 17 percent higher than traditional, fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare.
- A study published in the January 2012 edition of Health Affairs found beneficiaries with diabetes in a Medicare Advantage special needs plan (SNP) had “seven percent more primary care physician office visits; nine percent lower hospital admission rates; 19 percent fewer hospital days; and 28 percent fewer hospital readmissions compared to patients in FFS Medicare.”
- Research published in the November 2010 issue of the American Journal of Managed Care concluded that Medicare Advantage plans outperformed the Medicare FFS program in 9 out of 11 clinical quality measures (4 were diabetes measures).
The Coalition is working to provide resources and tools to facilitate communication between patients, caregivers, and providers and the kind of high-quality, coordinated care that Medicare Advantage provides. For more information, take a look at the Coalition’s new Care Coordination Pocket Guide, which features top questions and considerations for patients and caregivers.
Additionally, the Coalition recently announced an important recruitment milestone—2 million Medicare Advantage seniors working to protect their benefits. The 2 millionth member, Bertha Shinn of Las Vegas, is a cancer survivor and is currently living with diabetes. Stay tuned for an in depth interview with Bertha this week about managing her diabetes and working with the Coalition to protect her Medicare Advantage benefits