CDC Awards Grant To Diabetes Prevention And Control Alliance To Expand National Program To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

It is expected that diabetes will cost the country about $226 billion this year, accounting for an estimated 10 percent of total health care spending, and will grow to $512 billion annually by 2021.

If current trends continue, more than half of all Americans will have diabetes or prediabetes by 2020, according to an analysis from the UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization.

CDC funds will be used to:

• support intervention costs, participant and community outreach, and staffing, including recruiting and training nearly 40 lifestyle coaches to lead classes and supplement coaches already trained in the National Diabetes Prevention Program, to support enrollment at new sites;
• add an estimated 13 new organizations to host Diabetes Prevention Program classes, including Federally Qualified Health Centers working with Medicaid beneficiaries in Tennessee;
• build partnerships with businesses and insurers to provide long-term financial support for National Diabetes Prevention Program classes as a covered health benefit for employees and their families, and to establish reimbursement criteria that rewards successful programs;
• advise and assist organizations in following CDC evidence-based standards for the National Diabetes Prevention Program. These standards ensure program participants have the best chance for success making lifestyle changes regardless of where they participate in the program.

The National Diabetes Prevention Program is based on research led by the National Institutes of Health and supported by CDC, which showed that people with prediabetes could reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by making modest lifestyle changes that resulted in a 5- to 7-percent weight loss (about 10-14 pounds for a 200-pound person). Those changes included choosing healthier foods and increasing physical activity to at least 150 minutes a week.

The DPCA was launched in April 2010 through a partnership with UnitedHealth Group, the YMCA and retail pharmacies. The two core programs, Diabetes Prevention Program and the Diabetes Control Program, are available at no out-of-pocket cost to participants enrolled in employer-provided health insurance plans in select markets through UnitedHealthcare and Medica. The Alliance is expanding with new partners and entering new markets every year.

About UnitedHealth Group UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making health care work better. With headquarters in Minnetonka, Minn., UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides information and technology-enabled health services. Through its businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 75 million people worldwide. For more information visit UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com.

« First ‹ Previous 1 2 3 Next › Last »