| Medicare was initially designed to cover | | | | taught by a certified diabetes educator (CDE) |
| acute care and it did not cover any routine | | | | or a registered nurse. Keep in mind, that |
| services such as an annual physical, | | | | the ten hours is for either diabetes |
| mammogram, prostate cancer screenings, etc. | | | | education, medical nutrition therapy or a |
| However, after 2002 Medicare Part B now pays | | | | combination of both. Anyone with Type 1 or |
| for routine diabetic services, supplies and | | | | Type 2 diabetes can receive diabetes |
| education. | | | | education sessions if you have a referral |
| | | | from your primary care physician and meet |
| - Screening - For people with Medicare at | | | | certain criteria. |
| risk for getting diabetes, Medicare covers | | | | |
| up to two screening blood sugar tests each to | | | | - Blood Glucose Monitoring Supplies- Medicare |
| check for diabetes. You are considered at | | | | will cover the 80% of the costs of glucose |
| risk if you have any of the following: high | | | | meters, strips and lancets after your Part B |
| blood pressure, dyslipidemia (history of | | | | deductible. If you are insulin dependent, |
| abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride | | | | Medicare will cover 100 test strips and 100 |
| levels), obesity, or a history of high blood | | | | lancets every month and one lancing device |
| sugar. | | | | every 6 months. If you are not insulin |
| | | | dependent Medicare will cover this quantity |
| - Medical Nutrition Therapy - Medical | | | | every three months and one lancing device |
| nutrition therapy is meeting one on one with | | | | every six months. If you need more than |
| a registered dietician or other certified | | | | this, you will need a prescription from your |
| nutrition professionals to design the meal | | | | doctor. For example, if you order a 3 Month |
| plan that helps you maintain blood glucose | | | | complete diabetic testing kit which includes |
| control. Your primary health care provider | | | | a clinically accurate meter, strips and |
| must give you a referral indicating a | | | | lancets from for about $60 then, your cost is |
| diagnosis of diabetes and a need for medical | | | | $12 (20%). |
| nutrition therapy. It also covers | | | | |
| gestational diabetes. Medicare will pay 80 % | | | | - Therapeutic Shoes-Therapeutic shoes are |
| of approved amount for up to ten hours of | | | | covered for Medicare beneficiaries with Type |
| counseling with a registered dietician or | | | | 1 or Type 2 diabetes if they have a |
| other certified nutritional professional in | | | | peripheral neuropathy. |
| an initial twelve month period. Bear in mind | | | | |
| that you can only receive a total of ten | | | | - Insulin Pumps-If you require an insulin |
| hours of medical nutrition therapy or | | | | pump to deliver small doses of insulin at |
| diabetes self-management education or a | | | | regular intervals throughout the day and |
| combination of both in the same twelve month | | | | night, Medicare will cover 80% of the |
| period. If follow-up sessions are needed, | | | | approved cost if you have Type 1 or Type 2 |
| you will need a new referral from your doctor | | | | diabetes. Of course, you need a prescription |
| stating that your medical condition has | | | | and you must have completed a diabetes |
| changed and adjustments to your meal plan are | | | | education program. |
| necessary. | | | | |
| | | | As always, check with your managed care |
| - Diabetes self-management education- | | | | representative as plans may vary. |
| Diabetes self-management education must be | | | | |