Action Planning to Increase Insurance Coverage for Diabetes Prevention
Submission Date: September 2018
State/Territory Submitted on the Behalf of: Missouri
States/Territories Involved: Missouri
Funding Source: CDC
CDC Funding:Yes
Domain Addressed:Community-Clinical Linkages
Public Health Issue:The growing rate of diabetes in Missouri calls for action on diabetes prevention.
Diabetes can be prevented or delayed through National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change programs that help people with prediabetes achieve a 5-7% weight loss and increase their physical activity.
Insurance coverage of the cost of participating in National DPP lifestyle change programs can make it more likely that people with prediabetes will enroll in these evidence-based programs.
Program Action:The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors helped the Missouri Actions to Prevent Chronic Disease and Control Risk Factors (MAP) in the Department of Health and Senior Services to plan and implement a Diabetes Prevention State Engagement Meeting (StEM) to engage stakeholders in development of an action plan for scaling and sustaining the National DPP.
Meeting presentations emphasized the many potential benefits of the National DPP, including insurer cost savings.
Staff from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City and from Missouri’s Medicaid program, MO HealthNet, attended the StEM and worked on action planning related to insurance coverage for diabetes prevention. MAP had already worked with MO HealthNet on previous state action plans and on a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services workgroup related to National DPP coverage. Prior to the StEM, MAP also had discussions with Solera, a diabetes prevention program integrator, on coverage for the National DPP related to Anthem, a Missouri insurer.
Impact/Accomplishments:As a result of the StEM, one public and two private insurance carriers announced the beginning of coverage of the National DPP. These three entities – MO HealthNet, Anthem, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City – cover more than 1.7 million beneficiaries in Missouri.
MO HealthNet was positively influenced by the data and evidence supporting the National DPP presented at the StEM. They will work with MAP to analyze data, to garner resources for training more lifestyle change program coaches, and on a potential employer pilot program.
Program Areas:Diabetes
State Contact Information:
MO
Glenn Studebaker
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
573-522-2875
glenn.studebaker@health.mo.gov