Some are wondering if the role out of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program was more of an April’s Fool’s joke than a reality but yes, the program is real, it’s just that coming out of the starting gate, it has stumbled, fallen and is trying to get back on its feet, but the effort is slow at best.

The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program is something new that was launched on April 1, 2018 to help many seniors from developing Type 2 diabetes. The CDC says that more than 23 million Americans 65 and older have prediabetes, the precursor to actual Type 2 diabetes. They have above normal levels of blood sugar but have not yet entered into the realm of diabetes and in the vast majority of cases, the condition can be reversed with proper dieting and exercise.

Type 2 diabetes has become one of the most common medical diseases of our time and it has also become one of the costliest diseases both in money and health risks. It is estimated that within five years, one third of seniors 65 and older will develop type 2 diabetes if there is no intervention made now.

The goal of the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program was to get non-doctor and non-hospital organizations like the YMCA and others to teach year-long classes to help seniors learn how to eat healthier, be more physically active and change certain behavioral patterns in order to help them from developing type 2 diabetes. In the long run, the programs can save millions of lives and millions of dollars.

So how or why has the program stumbled and fallen as it was only launched a few weeks ago?

It seems that for an organization to be qualified and paid by Medicare to teach the classes, they have to apply to Medicare first – the stumble. Not all such non-government organizations are anxious to team up with Medicare due to its uncertainty.

Then there is the red tape in meeting all of the requirements before being accepted as instructors – the fall. Like so many other government programs, getting through the requirements consists of the proverbial ‘jumping through hoops’ and more. A number of organizations either don’t want to hassle with all of the government requirements and red tape or they frustrated with the process and quit.

According to one source:

“In a written comment, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said about 50 of more than 400 eligible programs are in the process of submitting applications. An online resource identifying approved programs is under development, and outreach to people with Medicare coverage is ‘planned for the coming months,’ the statement said.”

All seniors with Medicare Part B that are prediabetic are eligible for this preventative program and it’s free. The only catch is locating one of the few locations that are offering it.

If you are interested in learning more, you need to contact Medicare or your local YCMA but don’t be surprised if no one seems to know very much about the program – it’s trying to get back up but progress is slow. Be patient and keep trying. Hopefully in time one of the free classes will open in your area.