How Does Medicare Cover Diabetes?
Over 100 million Americans live with diabetes or are prediabetic in the United States. If you have diabetes, you know that it’s a condition that needs to be monitored and managed consistently. If you aren’t diabetic, or are prediabetic, you may be aware that diabetes is preventable. Either way, prevention, screenings, and management can be expensive without insurance! Fortunately, Medicare offers some diabetes coverage. What this means for Medicare-eligible diabetes patients around the country is that their medical needs may be more affordable and more available with the assistance of Medicare!
Generally, Medicare Part B will cover diabetes prevention and treatment, while Medicare Part D will cover prescription drugs used in the treatment of diabetes. Below, we’re talking more specifics about what’s covered and what’s not. For full details on Original Medicare’s coverage of diabetic needs, check out the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services’ “Medicare Coverage of Diabetes Supplies, Services, & Prevention Programs” booklet. It’s our primary source for the details below and perfect for a deep dive into the specifics that this overview won’t cover. To learn more about a Medicare Advantage plan’s coverage of diabetes, please refer to your plan-specific materials or contact a plan representative.
Medicare and Diabetes Prevention
Since diabetes, type 2 specifically, is preventable under many circumstances, and since there is currently no cure for diabetes once you have it, taking preventative measures is important. In terms of prevention, Medicare helps you watch out for diabetes with a number of important screenings. Chief among these are your Welcome to Medicare and Annual Wellness visits, both covered under Medicare. At these visits, your doctor will screen for chronic illnesses, like diabetes, and outline prevention plans.
Medicare also offers the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program.
Medicare will also help pay for certain screenings if your doctor feels you’re at a heightened risk of diabetes (e.g., if you have high blood pressure, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, or high blood sugar). It may pay for up to two of these diabetes screening tests in a 12-month period. Medicare also offers the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program, a once-per-lifetime program that aims at changing one’s personal behavior to prevent diabetes. If you qualify for this program, Medicare will cover it in full.
Medicare and Diabetes Treatment
If you have diabetes, Original Medicare can help cover many of the screenings, tests, and supplies you may need for treatment. For screenings, your Welcome to Medicare and Wellness visits will still be covered, only the focus of these visits will shift toward management of your chronic condition, rather than the prevention of it. With a doctor’s referral, diabetes patients may also get self-management programs, hemoglobin A1c tests, medical nutritional therapy, foot exams and treatments, and glaucoma tests covered by Medicare, at least in part.
One of the most central items is blood sugar testing equipment, which Medicare may cover as DME.
If you have diabetes, you will need certain supplies to manage this condition. One of the most central items is blood sugar testing equipment, which Medicare may cover as durable medical equipment (DME). These supplies are usually blood sugar monitors, test strips, lancets, and glucose control solutions. Also often covered as DME are insulin pumps (an external device that monitors and manages insulin levels), and sometimes, therapeutic shoes or inserts.
Medicare and Diabetes Medications
If you have a Medicare Part D plan, some of your prescription medications for treating diabetes will likely be covered. Generally speaking, Part D plans help cover injectable insulin and a number of anti-diabetic drugs like sulfonylureas (Glipizide and Glyburide), biguanides (metformin), Thiazolidinediones (Pioglitazone, Rosiglitazone, Troglitazone), meglitinides (Nateglinide and Repaglinide), or Alpha glucosidase inhibitors (Precose®). Sometimes, supplies used to inject or inhale insulin can also be covered by Medicare Part D if you have diabetes. These supplies tend to be syringes, needles, alcohol swaps, gauze, or inhaled insulin devices.
Generally speaking, Part D plans help cover injectable insulin and a number of anti-diabetic drugs.
It’s worth noting that since Part D plans are offered by private insurance companies, though federally-approved, the specifics of your plan may differ from others. If you have questions about your individual coverage, please consult your plan directly.
● ● ●
Diabetes is condition that requires daily attention and management. Medicare’s coverage of diabetes prevention and treatment, should help to take at least one worry off your shoulders. With Medicare, Medicare beneficiaries can focus on enjoying their lives instead of worrying about being able to afford managing their diabetes.
If you’re curious about the Medicare Advantage or Part D plans in your area, as well as their diabetes coverage, check out the Medicareful Plan Finder tool. This tool allows you to compare and contrast plans in your area and connect with a licensed insurance sales agent who can guide you through the enrollment process. (Working with a licensed insurance sales agent is free!)
Further Reading
Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services — Current Medicare Coverage of Diabetes Supplies
Featured Blogs
- Learning to Ski
- The Stories Behind Classic Christmas Carols
- 4 More Tips to Make Christmas Tree Hunt Less Stressful
- Why Do We Celebrate That? Other Festive Holidays
- A Senior Guide to Boston
- A Senior Guide to Edinburgh
- How Does Medicare Cover Osteoporosis?
- What are Ulcers?
- Medicare's Coverage of Parkinson's Disease
- What is a Cognitive Screening?
- Spooky Spots for Halloween 2023
- 4 Ways to Keep Trick-or-Treating Safe
- 10 Classic Horror Books for Halloween
- Here's What Medicare Costs in 2024
- 10 Safety Rules for Seniors Who Enjoy Hunting
- Medicareful Living is Changing Its Name — Here's Why
- CMS Releases 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Costs
- Can You Keep Your Medicare Plan Each Year?
- A Senior Guide to Lucerne
- Is Expensive Cookware Worth It?
- The Drug Prices Medicare Can Directly Negotiate
- Does Medicare Ever Cover Cosmetic Surgery?
- A Senior Guide to Barcelona
- How Does COBRA Work with Medicare?
- Different Ways Medicare Can Cover Drug Costs
- Medicareful Living is Changing Its Name — Here's Why
- CMS Releases 2024 Medicare Advantage and Part D Costs
- Can You Keep Your Medicare Plan Each Year?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Lucerne
- Is Expensive Cookware Worth It?
- The Drug Prices Medicare Can Directly Negotiate
- Does Medicare Ever Cover Cosmetic Surgery?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Barcelona
- How Does COBRA Work with Medicare?
- Different Ways Medicare Can Cover Drug Costs
- All About Enrolling in Social Security
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to the Madrid
- Does Medicare Cover Open-Heart Surgery?
- Exercise Tips for Summer
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to Lisbon
- Hosting a Safe Summer Barbecue
- Senior Summer Barbecue Tips
- Does Medicare Cover Biopsies?
- 5 Foods to Avoid if You Have High Blood Pressure
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to the Finger Lakes
- Does Medicare Cover Endoscopies?
- Ways Seniors Can Recover from a Workout
- Is Chocolate Healthy for You?
- Understanding Adult ADHD
- How Does Medicare Cover Hypertension?
- The Symptoms and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
- How to Determine What Temperature to Use When Cooking
- Eating Healthy on a Budget
- Keeping Fit on Vacation
- Is Your Tonsillectomy Covered by Medicare?
- Tips for the Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Kitchen First Aid Tips
- What Does FDA-Approved Mean?
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Guide to New York City
- How to Caramelize Onions
- Why Do We Celebrate That? April Fools’ Day
- Medicare and Powers of Attorney
- The Essential Role of Eggs in Cooking
- What are Different Types of Complementary
and Alternative Medicine? - Tips for Remembering to Take Your Medicine
- What is Medicare Part E?
- Building Your Basic At-Home Senior Gym
- How to Make Stovetop Popcorn
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to New Orleans
- How to Navigate & Read Academic Articles
- Phytonutrients: What Plant Color Says About Nutrition
- How to Prevent or Reduce Inflammation
- Osteoporosis: Risk Factors, Signs, and Treatment
- How to Make Homemade Pretzels
- Researching Your Ancestry and Family Tree
- How Medicare and Social Security Work Together
- What is Nordic Walking?
- Food Questions You've Been Embarrassed to Ask
- How Medicare Changed for 2023 and Beyond
- Tips for Using a Microwave
- How to Clean Your Ears Safely
- Skiing as a Healthy Hobby for Seniors
- 3 More Great Places to Celebrate New Year's Eve
- Why Do We Celebrate That? More New Year's Eve Traditions
- Panettone, the Italian Christmas Dessert
- A Simple Homemade Gingerbread Recipe
- How to Make Christmas Decorating Jollier
- The Science of Winter Weight Gain
- Seasonal Picks: 3 Foods You Should Try This Winter
- 5 Tips to Make Getting Your Christmas Tree Stress-Free
- Show-Stopping Potato Side Dishes for Thanksgiving
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Boeuf Bourguignon
- Holiday Travel Tips to Reduce Stress
- Does Medicare Cover Pain Management?
- Is Hunting a Healthy Senior Hobby?
- Ways You Can Get More Politically Involved
- What are Medicare's Lifetime Reserve Days?
- Spooky Spots for Seniors Halloween 2022
- How to Make Soul Cakes for Halloween
- Jack O' Lantern Carving Tips for Halloween
- Easy Ways to Peel a Potato
- 2023 Social Security COLA Largest in Decades
- Exercise Tips for Autumn
- How to Make Candy Apples at Home
- Why are Medicare Insurance Sales Calls Recorded?
- Here's What Medicare Costs in 2023
- CMS Updates Medicare Enrollment Rules for 2023
- Medicareful Travel: Senior Trip to London
- Does Medicare Cover Insomnia Treatment?
- Healthy and Easy Homemade Dog Treats
- The FDA Finalizes Ruling to Increase Access to Hearing Aids
- What the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Means for Medicare
- Tips to Make Flying and Airports Less Stressful
- CMS Projects Lower 2023 Part D Average Costs
- The 15 Golden Rules of Airplane Etiquette
- How Often Should You Shower?
- What are Medicare Pilot Programs?
- How to Care for Your Cast Iron Cookware
- Confronting a Loved One About Hurtful Behavior
- What Does Creditable Coverage Mean for Medicare?
- Using Za'atar in Your Cooking
- Dealing with Canceled Flights
- Protecting Your Vacation from Flight Disruptions
- Do Pre-Existing Conditions Affect Medicare Coverage?
- Which is Better: A Bath or Shower?
- Are Weight Loss Medications Healthy?
- Healthy Strategies for Anger Management
- The Health Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- The Difference Between Common Cooking Papers and Foils
- What are Medicare I-SNPs?
- Identifying Toxic Relationships in Your Life
- Healthy Ways to Spice Up Your Water
- All About Medicare Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans
- Medicareful Travels: A Senior Guide to All-Inclusive Resorts
- Does Medicare Cover Occupational Therapy?
- Lower 2023 Medicare Part B Premium Could Be on the Way
- Which is Better: Natural or Artificial Sweeteners?
- Tips for Vacationing with Pets
- Is It Better to Work Out Harder or Longer?
- Tips for Traveling with Your Pet
- Are Medicare Part B Giveback Plans Worth It?
- Introducing the Medicareful Living Family Cookbook!
- Medicare Coverage for Treatment of PTSD
- The Causes and Treatments of Nasal Congestion
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Spring Rolls
- Medicare Freezes Late Enrollment Penalties for Qualifying Enrollees
- What is a 5-Star Medicare Plan?
- What is PTSD?
- What is Inflammation?
- What is Medicare's Secondary Payer Program?
- What You Should Know When Buying Cast Iron Cookware
- What Does MACRA Mean for You?
- What to Do If You Receive a Terminal Diagnosis
- Dishes to Impress Your Friends: Homemade Lobster Ravioli
- Reading and Understanding Your Blood Pressure
- How to Be a Snowbird in Retirement (18 Questions to Ask!)