AADE Launches New Toolkit on Non-Medical Switching

AADE has officially launched a new toolkit called: Empowering People with Diabetes: Addressing Non-Medical Switching. This toolkit, sponsored by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., contains resources including tip sheets, infographics, advocacy information and other documents that diabetes educators can use to help educate and empower people with diabetes to stay on their prescribed medications when faced with non-medical switching.  We hope these resources help to empower both diabetes educators and people with diabetes in combatting non-medical switching.

Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act Introduced US Senate

On March 14, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) Act (S. 814) in the U.S. Senate. We anticipate the U.S. House of Representatives to introduce their version of this legislation in the coming weeks.

The Expanding Access to DSMT Act (S. 814) will reduce barriers and improve Medicare beneficiary access to DSMT services in the following ways:

• Permit physicians and qualified non-physician practitioners who are not directly involved in managing an individual's diabetes to refer them for DSMT services.
• Allow the initial 10 hours of training during the first year to remain available until used and allowing 6 additional hours of DSMT services during the year in which the initial 10 hours are used.
• Allow 6 additional hours of DSMT each year after the initial 10 hours are used.
• Remove the restriction related to coverage of DSMT and Medical Nutrition Therapy services furnished on the same day.
• Exclude DSMT services from Part B cost-sharing and deductible requirements.
• Revise the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual to allow DSMT services to be furnished in a community-based location.
• Establish a 2-year demonstration of virtual DSMT, potentially paving the way for future Medicare coverage of virtual DSMT services.

Take Action Today!

We need the help of all diabetes educators to build support for this legislation on Capitol Hill. Click here to send a letter to your Senators.

AADE Heads to Washington, D.C. on May 20-21 for the 2019 Public Policy Forum

AADE is heading to Washington, D.C. for the 2019 Public Policy Forum (PPF)! This year’s PPF is scheduled for Monday, May 20 and Tuesday, May 21. By hosting the PPF in Washington, AADE hopes to provide diabetes educators with the opportunity to connect directly with their legislators on important legislation like the Expanding Access to DSMT Act. AADE will be reaching out to CB Leaders and State Grassroots Coordinators in the coming weeks with more information. Click here for meeting details or email Kate Thomas, AADE’s Director of Advocacy.

Lilly Introduces Lower Priced Generic Insulin

AADE Weighs in on Healthy People 2030 Proposed Objectives 

Every decade, the Healthy People initiative develops a new set of science-based, 10-year national objectives with the goal of improving the health of all Americans. Currently, the US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives has begun working on establishing the framework and objectives for Healthy People 2030. Diabetes is a core area of the Healthy People initiative and AADE offered comments to the Advisory Committee on the proposed objectives for 2030 that impact diabetes care. AADE also joined the Diabetes Advocacy Alliance in their comments to the Advisory Committee.

Learn more about AADE’s Advocacy Efforts this Quarter

Check out the latest blog post on the Advocacy Forum on My AADE Network to learn more about AADE’s advocacy efforts this quarter. AADE has been actively engaged in advancing advocacy policies that support the work of the diabetes educator, reinforce the critical importance of diabetes education, and remove barriers that may affect a person with diabetes from self-managing their diabetes. Read the blog post to find out more about these initiatives and how you can get involved in advocacy!