AADE: Medicare Continues To Put People With Diabetes At Risk

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Business Weekly -- Newswire/ -- A HYPERLINK "https://www.diabeteseducator.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/aade-study-on-suppliers-in-competitive-bidding-program_2016-(002).pdf?sfvrsn=2" nnew survey from the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) found that Medicare's Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) significantly reduced beneficiary choice and access to commonly used diabetes testing supplies. The lack of choice forces beneficiaries to switch to unfamiliar or unsuitable testing systems, and can have dire health consequences.

AADE's survey is the latest in a continuous round of reports by AADE and others pointing out the inherent problems with the CBP. Last year, a National Minority Quality Forum HYPERLINK "http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2016/01/29/dc15-1264" nreport showed a direct link to increases in mortality and complications, inpatient admission and supplier costs. The unintended consequences from switching testing supplies results in diminished or ceasing altogether of blood sugar testing, leading to an increased risk for complications such as blindness, kidney damage, cardiovascular disease and lower-limb amputations.

The new survey reinforces AADE secret shopper surveys done in HYPERLINK "https://www.diabeteseducator.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/aade_dme_survey_2011.pdf?sfvrsn=0" n2011 and HYPERLINK "https://www.diabeteseducator.org/docs/default-source/legacy-docs/_resources/advocacy/aade_study_on_suppliers_2014.pdf?sfvrsn=2" n2013 showing the same downward trend in availability and access.

"Evidence continues to show that the competitive bidding process is failing people with diabetes and putting them at unnecessary risk," said Kellie Antinori-Lent, a diabetes clinical nurse specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "Patient safety and choice must come first."

Keywords for this news article include: Medicare, Health Policy, Risk and Prevention, Diagnostics and Screening, American Association of Diabetes Educators.

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