Senators Shaheen and Collins Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Access to Diabetes Treatments, Education for Medicare Beneficiaries

**Diabetes Caucus Co-Chairs push bill to ensure patients have access to best technologies and education to manage lifelong disease**
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME),Co-Chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, are today introducing bipartisan legislation aimed at improving access to diabetes technologies by responding to the ongoing and increasing need for diabetes technology education among Medicare beneficiaries. Shaheen and Collins’ bipartisanDiabetes Interventions Addressing Barriers to Enrollment, Technology and Education Services (DIABETES) Actwould ensure care for diabetic patients is not interrupted when they enroll in Medicare.
The bill builds on previous efforts to improve access to needed treatment by incorporating Shaheen and Collins’Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act –a separate but related bipartisan bill to expand Medicare coverage of diabetes self-management training sessions, where diabetes educators help train Medicare patients on how to manage the disease and use complex diabetes technologies. The Senators’ bill also includes a provision exempting insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) from the Medicare competitive bidding process for 5 years. This comes afterShaheen and Collins urged Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services(CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz not to finalize a proposal the lawmakers warned could reduce and complicate patient access to CGMs and durable insulin pumps.
“Diabetes is a lifelong illness that requires constant monitoring and treatment—and yet, too many patients experience disruptions in care or lack the training and technology to adequately manage it. Americans living with diabetes should not have to jump through hoops to access life-saving care,”said Senator Shaheen.“Our bipartisan legislation will streamline coverage for insulin pumps and expand education and training for patients and providers, improving care for individuals managing diabetes.”
“Delays or disruptions in coverage of diabetes technologies can cause a decline in patient health, particularly for those enrolling in Medicare,”said Senator Collins.“Our bipartisan legislation would streamline coverage for insulin pumps while expanding diabetes education and training for patients and providers, improving care for those managing this disease.”
A copy of the bill text can be foundHERE.
The bipartisan legislation is endorsed by the American Diabetes Association, Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists, American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, Diabetes Leadership Council, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition and the Diabetes Technology Access Coalition.
Senator Shaheen has led efforts across the aisle to lower health care costs for Granite Staters and Americans. As co-chairs of the U.S. Senate Diabetes Caucus, Shaheen and Collins have consistently pressed to hold insulin manufacturers, insurers and pharmacy benefit managersaccountablefor the skyrocketing cost of life-saving insulin. Their bipartisanImproving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Actwould comprehensively address the soaring cost of insulin, removing barriers to care and making it more accessible for millions more Americans. The Senators have also pushed for passage of their bicameral, bipartisanStrengthening Collective Resources for Encouraging Education Needed (SCREEN) for Type 1 Diabetes Act, to improve early detection and screening for type 1 diabetes.
###