The Medicare Diabetes Screening Project (MDSP) and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) have partnered to create a program called “Diabetes Screening Medicare Benefits for Better Health.” This collaborative effort consists of outreach to leaders of organizations, agencies and companies that serve older adults, informing them about Medicare’s benefits for diabetes screening. The program is designed to train and encourage community leaders to incorporate the screening message into community health programs.

To date, the MDSP and NCOA have held five regional meetings designed to inform and equip senior-serving organizations with the tools necessary to promote diabetes screening prevention and self management. Meetings have featured experts in diabetes research,  education, and notable keynote speakers including Senator Tom Daschle, former Senate Majority Leader; Hubert H. “Skip” Humphrey III, former Minnesota Attorney General and Minnesota MDSP co-chiar; and Josephina Carbonell, Former Assistant Secretary for Aging and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

A key element of the program is a comprehensive kit of materials that includes information for the public and health care providers, as well as ready-to-go presentations with instructions and notes for speakers to spread the word about Medicare diabetes screening.

For more information about “Diabetes Screening: Medicare Benefits for Better Health” or to request a copy of the tool-kit, please e-mail the NCOA Director of Community Education Christine Harding, Christine.Harding@ncoa.org.