Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Diabetes prevention can be led by health insurance companies

David B. Nash, MD, MBA
Conditions
May 20, 2010
Share
Tweet
Share

Whether I’m wearing my health policy hat or seeing patients in the office, one condition continues to surface as a source of concern and frustration.

Diabetes, one of the nation’s most serious and costly health burdens, now affects almost 25 million people in this country — a conservative estimate. Another million new cases are diagnosed each year.

Three years ago, the American Diabetes Association estimated the total diabetes cost in the U.S. to be a staggering $174 billion.

As we know all too well, diabetes is one of the most complex and time-consuming conditions for physicians to treat and for their patients to manage.

Diabetes — especially type 2 — is also one of the most challenging conditions to prevent.

Government funded studies have clearly demonstrated that individuals with risk factors or prediabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by participating in group coaching sessions, changing their eating and exercise habits, and losing about 5% of their total body weight.

But that’s not as simple as it sounds!

For years, social scientists have understood that behavior change is extremely difficult for most people, more so without structured programs and support systems.

Given the scheduling demands on physicians and their office staffs, where can a person go to receive additional information or counseling about diabetes prevention? Where can patients with type 2 diabetes receive the ongoing support and encouragement necessary for meeting and sustaining behavior change goals?

Equally important, how does the average person pay for these services? Even those with health insurance are faced with increases in deductibles and copayments.

Imagine my surprise, then, on reading an announcement of a promising new approach.

Kudos to UnitedHealthGroup, one of the nation’s largest health insurers, for mounting an innovative attack on type 2 diabetes!

Under a recently announced two-part proposal, UnitedHealth will team with the YMCA and retail pharmacies to introduce an ambitious program in seven cities across the U.S.

ADVERTISEMENT

Using local YMCAs as venues, the insurer will offer participants in employer-provided health insurance plans free access to a series of 16-week Diabetes Prevention Programs for individuals at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

These group-based educational interventions will focus primarily on changing lifestyle behaviors (moving, for instance, toward healthy eating and appropriate exercise) in order to achieve modest weight loss, thus preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes.

As an additional incentive, the nonprofit YMCAs will receive performance-based payments, with higher payments for those participants who complete the full program or lose an appropriate amount of weight.

The second part of the proposal, a Diabetes Control Program, will be based at partner retail pharmacies. Aimed at reducing the more dangerous and costly complications of diabetes, these programs will provide free access to pharmacists who are specially trained to help people with prediabetes or diabetes manage their conditions and improve adherence to their physicians’ treatment plans.

So, what makes this new approach important?

Our country now has the most expensive — but far from the best quality — healthcare in the world. The newly enacted federal healthcare law aims not only to extend medical coverage to all citizens but also to bring healthcare costs under control.

As the nation looks to rein in healthcare spending and employers attempt to hold down costs for their employees, the UnitedHealthGroup/YMCA/Walgreens partnership seems to be a move in the right direction.

Some policy experts see this initiative as an example of the kinds of strategies health insurance companies must undertake to demonstrate their relevance in light of the new healthcare law.

I am inclined to agree with those who believe that collaborations such as this will serve as models for the future of health insurance on a national level.

David B. Nash is Founding Dean of the Jefferson School of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University and blogs at Nash on Health Policy.

Originally published in MedPage Today. Visit MedPageToday.com for more health policy news.

Prev

Official state microbe of Wisconsin

May 20, 2010 Kevin 3
…
Next

Father of a patient with a sudden brain hemorrhage

May 20, 2010 Kevin 5
…

Tagged as: Diabetes, Public Health & Policy

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Official state microbe of Wisconsin
Next Post >
Father of a patient with a sudden brain hemorrhage

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by David B. Nash, MD, MBA

  • Does the House of God stand the test of time?

    David B. Nash, MD, MBA
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Nonprofit hospitals: The potential for conflict of interest is huge

    David B. Nash, MD, MBA
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Quality measures benefit from quality improvement

    David B. Nash, MD, MBA

More in Conditions

  • Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care

    Carlos Nunez, MD
  • How a family’s strength led to a successful kidney transplant

    C. Nicole Swiner, MD
  • Beyond the TikTok hype: Rebuilding trust in evidence-based weight loss medicine

    Sarah White, APRN
  • How deep transcranial magnetic stimulation is transforming mental health care

    Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD
  • Nurses aren’t eating their young — we’re starving the profession

    Adam J. Wickett, BSN, RN
  • What if medicine had an exit interview?

    Lynn McComas, DNP, ANP-C
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care

      Carlos Nunez, MD | Conditions
    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • How to survive a broken health care system without losing yourself [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How the shingles vaccine could help prevent dementia

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Physician patriots: the forgotten founders who lit the torch of liberty

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care

      Carlos Nunez, MD | Conditions
    • How a family’s strength led to a successful kidney transplant

      C. Nicole Swiner, MD | Conditions
    • The food-drug interaction risks your doctor may be missing

      Frank Jumbe | Meds
    • Beyond the TikTok hype: Rebuilding trust in evidence-based weight loss medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • The weaponization of rules: How regulatory overreach puts physicians and health care at risk

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • How to speak the language of leadership to improve doctor wellness [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 8 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care

      Carlos Nunez, MD | Conditions
    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • How to survive a broken health care system without losing yourself [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How the shingles vaccine could help prevent dementia

      Marc Arginteanu, MD | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Physician patriots: the forgotten founders who lit the torch of liberty

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why sleep is the missing pillar in modern health care

      Carlos Nunez, MD | Conditions
    • How a family’s strength led to a successful kidney transplant

      C. Nicole Swiner, MD | Conditions
    • The food-drug interaction risks your doctor may be missing

      Frank Jumbe | Meds
    • Beyond the TikTok hype: Rebuilding trust in evidence-based weight loss medicine

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • The weaponization of rules: How regulatory overreach puts physicians and health care at risk

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • How to speak the language of leadership to improve doctor wellness [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Diabetes prevention can be led by health insurance companies
8 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...