According to a recent article posted on The Hill’s website, a change needs to be made in regard to the 29 million people living in the United States with diabetes without knowing they have the disease.
The main reason why adjustments need to be made relates to increased risks -- such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and amputation -- that patients might incur if the disease is not properly controlled.
In response, the article has called on policymakers in Washington to make the needed changes.
“Policymakers in Washington should acknowledge this national health crisis and move quickly in the new year to address it,” according to the article. “People with diabetes need a proper diagnosis and access to the quality, affordable health care. Washington has already taken some important steps. Medicare, for example, covers diabetes screenings. That action has helped patients identify whether they're at high risk for developing the disease.”
Federal officials have announced that the National Diabetes Prevention Program will be covered by Medicare. This program is a network of plans with lifestyle intervention that is dedicated to decreasing the risk of diabetes in pre-diabetic individuals, including approximately one-third of all Americans.
