The Medicare Diabetes Screening Project

Commitment to Action

The Medicare Diabetes Screening Project

Commitment by

Novo Nordisk A/S

In 2006 Novo Nordisk Inc. committed $1 million over three years to establish the Medicare Diabetes Screening Project (MDSP), a coalition of more than 20 national partners, which aims to increase awareness and utilization of the under-used free diabetes screening benefit in Medicare for seniors at risk for diabetes. This public-private initiative aimed to find Americans 65 and older who have diabetes or pre-diabetes but have not been diagnosed. The coalition would allow the private sector to work with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and other federal, state and local government agencies focused on diabetes to screen all qualified Medicare beneficiaries for diabetes. As of April 2011, based on CMS claims data, in the MDSP pilot city of Columbus, GA, diabetes screening increased from a level of 6.7% in 2005 to 14.4% in 2008 - a 50% increase that took Columbus from below the state and national averages in 2005 to 60% above the state average and 25% above the national average for 2008.

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Tabs

Overview

Summary

Commitment

The Medicare Diabetes Screening Project

Launched

2006

Est. Duration

3 Years

Estimated Total Value

$900,000

Region

Northern America

Countries

United States

Commitment by

Novo Nordisk A/S

Partner(s) of the Commitment Maker(s)

American Clinical Laboratory Association, American College of Physicians, Disease Management Association of America, American Academy of Family Physicians, National Hispanic Medical Association, Partnership for Prevention, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Healthcare Leadership Council, American Diabetes Association, National Black Nurses Association, America's Health Insurance Plans, American Academy of Physician Assistants, Healthways, Inc., American Association of Diabetes Educators

Details

Novo Nordisk, Inc. will create a public-private initiative to find Americans 65 and older who have diabetes or pre-diabetes but have not been diagnosed. The coalition will allow the private sector to work with the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other federal, state and local government agencies focused on diabetes to screen all qualified Medicare beneficiaries for diabetes. This coalition will include not just industry, professional and consumer organizations, but also organizations representing seniors and minorities. They will use the communications vehicles, membership and 'voice' of the coalition to educate health-care professionals and consumers about U.S. Medicare's comprehensive, free diabetes screening and about the need to be screened. The coalition will then convene a high-profile meeting of national, state and local policy-makers and public health officials to develop new strategies to find the undiagnosed.

Background

17 million, or nearly 50%, of the 35 million Americans who are over 65 years old and enrolled in Medicare have undiagnosed diabetes or pre-diabetes. Of these, 14 million have pre-diabetes and, if identified and treated, could slow or stop the progression to diabetes. Obesity is a major risk factor and driver of diabetes, but lifestyle interventions have been proven to produce encouraging results. The NIH-sponsored Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showed that lifestyle interventions such as diet and moderate physical activity for those over the age of 60 with pre-diabetes reduced the development of diabetes by 71%. The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 established a new diabetes screening benefit for Medicare beneficiaries. Despite the benefit's availability and affordability - no deductible or co-pay - it is dramatically underutilized. This is the case even though coverage is reasonably comprehensive for diabetes care, treatment and education for those in the Medicare population who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
In the US, diabetes has been described as an 'epidemic' for nearly a decade. Yet the problem continues to worsen and little action has been taken by the federal government to address the problem. Diabetes now consumes 10% of the overall U.S. healthcare budget and some 32% of the Medicare budget. The number of people suffering from diabetes is expected to rise dramatically in the decades to come if there is no effective intervention.
With the broadest diabetes product portfolio in the industry, including the most advanced products within the area of insulin delivery systems, Novo Nordisk is a world leader with an 80-year history of innovation and achievement. In the United States, Novo Nordisk's ambition is nothing less than Changing Diabetes. Accordingly, they have launched a National Changing Diabetes Program to work as a catalyst to improve diabetes treatment and care. In addition, the government affairs department has the mandate to work to implement public policies, laws and regulations that will improve diabetes prevention, treatment and access to care. Overall, Novo Nordisk's business is driven by the Triple Bottom Line: a commitment to economic success, environmental soundness, and social responsibility to employees and customers.
The Medicare Diabetes Screening Project: A National Drive to Find the Undiagnosed is coalition, currently co-chaired by Novo Nordisk and the American Diabetes Association.

Partnership Opportunities

SEEKING: financial resources, implementing partners, media and marketing assistance.
OFFERING: financial resources, implementing partners, best practices information, media and marketing assistance.

Progress Reports

April 2011
- Based on CMS claims data, in the MDSP pilot city of Columbus, GA, diabetes screening increased from a level of 6.7% in 2005 to 14.4% in 2008 - a 50% increase that took Columbus from below the state and national averages in 2005 to 60% above the state average and 25% above the national average for 2008.
- MDSP was named by the Atlanta Regional office of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as the Georgia Prevention Challenge program for 2008.
- Since 2008, more than $100,000 in grants have been given to more than 40 community based groups in 23 states and Puerto Rico to promote Medicare diabetes screening at the grassroots level.
- A joint MDSP/National Council on Aging program conducted in six cities has trained more than 300 staff of senior-serving organizations to inform older adults about diabetes screening, prevention and management.
- MDSP was given the American Diabetes Association's Overcoming Disparities: Promising Practice of Excellence Award in 2009.
- The MDSP New Hampshire pilot project and partner the Healthcare Leadership Council produced an organizing template for use in other states and communities: Medicare Diabetes Screening Project: A Framework for Communities to Increase Utilization.
- In 2011, the MDSP and Novo Nordisk developed a collaboration with the Atlanta Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging (ARC) and the Y-USA to implement a collaborative program to promote diabetes screening with older adults through the services of RSVP Senior Corps volunteers and to refer Medicare beneficiaries with prediabetes into the Atlanta YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program.
April 2009
- Production and distribution of the Columbus (GA) Georgia Case Study Video.
- Development of 'A Framework for Communities to Increase Utilization' organizing template - by partner The Healthcare Leadership Council.
- Georgia Summit - keynoted by Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Dr. William Rowley of the Institute for Alternative Futures - to introduce the MDSP to a statewide Georgia audience
- CMS designated the Columbus (GA) pilot project its Georgia Prevention Challenge site for 2008.
- Initiation of the MDSP-Minnesota pilot project with Dr. Rich Bergenstal and former state Attorney General Hubert 'Skip' Humphrey as co-chairs.
- The launch of the MDSP website www.screenfordiabetes.org
- Columbus GA Fire Station diabetes risk assessment project - with free diabetes risk assessments - available to all residents at 11 neighborhood fire stations from 9am to 9pm, 7 days per week.
- National Association of Area Agencies on Aging / MDSP webinar to engage local agencies in the project - more than 100 AAA's participated
- Eleven organizing awards of $2,500 each to local agencies in ten states to conduct Medicare diabetes screening promotion and outreach in their communities.
- VSP conducted 2,000 free eye exams and diabetes risk assessments for low-income residents and seniors in Columbus GA, with referral, if needed, to primary care physicians and to the Columbus Research Foundation.
- Presentations at: ASA/NCOA Aging in America Conference, NDEP Older Adult Workgroup, Kentucky Diabetes Summit, 5th Annual Health Disparities Leadership Summit, National Medical Association, National Black Nurses Association, Avalere Conference on Diabetes, Creating a 21st Century Intelligent Health System in Louisiana Conference.
- Exhibits and materials at: National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, Minnesota State Fair, Aging in America (NCOA and ASA), CDC/DDT conferences, ASTHO-NACCHO, Minnesota 'Many Faces of Community Health' conference, and Penn State University School of Medicine Diabetes conference.
- 10 e-Newsletters have been distributed to ~1,500 contacts
January 2007
- Convened a high-profile strategy meeting of national, state and local policy makers, public health officials, advocates and consumers to create a national campaign to find the undiagnosed in Summer 2007.
- Initiated a process to recruit national, state, and local organizations to endorse the project and to build a national communications network to stimulate grassroots activity.
- Developed a broad-based coalition co-chaired by the American Diabetes Association and Novo Nordisk, Inc. including providers, consumers, insurers, seniors, and others. Additionally, Novo Nordisk urged public officials to make Medicare diabetes screening an action priority.
- Executed public presentations on the Medicare Diabetes Screening Project (MDSP) in approximately 10 cities.
- Established lead organizations in Columbus GA and New Hampshire to communicate with, and to motivate the 17,000 beneficiaries in Columbus and 71,500 beneficiaries in New Hampshire diabetes to utilize the screening benefit.
- Engaged the CMS Wellness and Prevention Mobile Office Tour in a number of cities and states.
- Developed a research process to track effectiveness of the promotional effort and its impact on health outcomes.