Skip to main content

CDC Releases Report Showing Underuse of Diabetes Education Among Privately Insured Patients with Newly Diagnosed Diabetes

Updated: 8/14/21 7:00 amPublished: 12/16/14

Twitter summary: CDC report shows most #PWD don’t receive adequate education at diagnosis, plus resources to help

The CDC recently published a report on the underutilization of diabetes education among privately insured people with newly diagnosed diabetes. The analysis found that in a sample of 95,555 newly diagnosed adults surveyed in 2011-2012, only 6.8% participated in diabetes education during the first year after their diagnosis! The American Diabetes Association recommends diabetes education soon after patients are diagnosed, as that education can often have the biggest impact if shared early on.

These findings point to a major gap between what experts recommend and what is happening in the real world, even for patients with insurance (who we would expect to have better use of education overall). As education is a critical step in helping patients manage their disease, this research stresses the urgent need to address health system barriers, especially lack of awareness about diabetes education and personal perceptions about diabetes. Education is often paid for by insurance companies, and we would encourage all patients to take advantage of the great resources out there:

Find a Diabetes Educator

AADE: Diabetes Self-Management Training

Medicare.gov DSMT Reimbursement

National Council on Aging: Diabetes Self-Management Training Resources

National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education

  -MA

What do you think?