Remember how excited we all were when the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 was passed? This was the bill that gave diabetes educators Medicare reimbursement with CMS recognition.
Medicare reimbursement is possible today when three criteria are met:
Program meets National Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Guidelines
- AADE Diabetes Education Accreditation Program
- ADA Education Recognition
Provider referral to the DSME program
Medicare provider number / NPI
Originally, recognition of credentialed diabetes educators as DSME providers was included in the bill but fell out during the reconciliation between the houses.
AADE has been working diligently to correct this error ever since. Currently, AADE is supporting the Medicare Diabetes Self-Management Acts of 2011
Bill numbers and Champions for these acts include:
H.R. 2787 Champion in House: Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY-1)
S. 1468 Champion in Senate: Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Act brief: Amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to diabetes self-management training by authorizing credentialed diabetes educators to provide diabetes self-management training services, including as part of tele-health services, under part B of the Medicare program.
Regretfully, although Mississippi leads the nation in diabetes prevalence and diabetes risks, not a single Mississippi representative or senator - of either political party - has signed on to this worthy bill.
Go to the Advocacy website on AADE and tell our Federal representatives to support these bills. The advocacy website is extremely easy to deliver your position to our elected representatives.