CMS Learn Resource 200711-23

American Diabetes Month is over, but the importance of talking with your Medicare patients about the seriousness of diabetes, their risk factors for the disease, and the importance of early detection and treatment remains, as millions of people in the United States are living with diabetes and don’t know it. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of people with Medicare by encouraging eligible beneficiaries to take advantage of the diabetes screening services covered by Medicare. And we can help those already diagnosed with diabetes manage their condition by recommending diabetes self-management training and medical nutrition therapy services, also covered by Medicare.

To Learn More
Health care providers and their staff can learn more about Medicare’s coverage of diabetes screening tests, supplies and other services for beneficiaries with diabetes, including coding, billing, and reimbursement details, by referring to the following provider education resources:

• The Guide to Medicare Preventive Services for Physicians, Providers, Suppliers, and Other Health Care Professionals http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/mps_guide_web-061305.pdf.
• Diabetes-Related Services brochure http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/DiabetesSvcs.pdf.
• National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) http://ndep.nih.gov/.
• Educational literature for beneficiaries http://www.medicare.gov.
  Thank you for helping the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) spread the word about the importance of diabetes education and the benefits covered by Medicare for the early detection and treatment of diabetes.

Text Posted: 12/04/2007