The American Diabetes Association urges Congress to make diabetes a priority.
Tackling system reform, health insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid issues on Capitol Hill, federal advocacy helps the American Diabetes Association (ADA) achieve federal legislative goals that allow people with diabetes coverage and access to the treatments and services they need to manage diabetes.
Congressional Diabetes Caucus
The mission of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus is to educate Members of Congress and their staff about diabetes and to support legislative activities that would improve diabetes research education and treatment.
Insulin Affordability
Ensuring insulin is affordable and accessible for those who need it to live is a top priority for the American Diabetes Association (ADA). One in five Americans with diabetes reports rationing insulin to pay for other life essentials like rent, utilities, childcare, and food.1 This is why the ADA has been the leading advocate for cost-sharing limits on insulin at the state and federal levels.
To date, 25 states, the District of Columbia, and Medicare Part D have instituted cost sharing limits on insulin prescriptions. While these limits have brought economic relief to people on Medicare and state health care programs, federal legislation has the potential to bring economic relief to millions more.
Over the past several years, the ADA has worked to advance important changes to insulin coverage that would make the lifesaving medication more affordable for individuals and families, regardless of their health insurance. The ADA supports a federal limit of $35 on the monthly out-of-pocket costs on insulin for Americans with commercial insurance plans.
Federal Funding for Diabetes Research and Programs
The ADA urges Congress to ensure funding for diabetes research and prevention is a national priority. Robust funding for federal programs is critical to achieving significant advancements in prevention, treatment, and ultimately a cure for diabetes. These federal programs include:
- The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s):
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s):
- Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT)
- National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP)
Diabetes is the nation's most expensive chronic disease, costing our economy $413 billion annually.2 Unfortunately, 1.2 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year.3
We must intensify our efforts to stop diabetes from impacting more families and overwhelming our economy. Through robust federal resources for prevention, treatment, and research, we can stem the tide of the diabetes epidemic.
Access to Resources and Care
Food insecurity is linked to both the development and progression of diabetes.4 With 13.5 million families in the U.S. experiencing food insecurity, ensuring access to nutritious and affordable foods is critical to preventing and managing diabetes.5 During pregnancy, food insecurity increases the risk for gestational diabetes (GDM).6 The ADA is educating Congress about the impact federal spending reductions on vital nutrition assistance programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), will have on individuals and families with diabetes or prediabetes.
Similarly, access to health care coverage is vital for people with diabetes and prediabetes. Research shows that adults with diabetes with health insurance have better glucose and cholesterol management than those without insurance.7 Almost 24% of people with diabetes rely on Medicaid to provide access to diabetes care, medications, and technology.
According to an evaluation of National Health And Nutrition (NHANES), job loss or change was reported to be the most common reason for not having insurance.8 Almost one-third of participants indicated they did not have coverage because they were not eligible for Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or other public coverage.9 The ADA needs your help to protect these critical health and nutrition programs. Join us by contacting your member of Congress today.
Addressing the Obesity Epidemic
There is an urgent need to address the obesity epidemic in America. Research has shown that obesity affects nearly 42% of the adult population and accounts for up to 53% of new cases of type 2 diabetes every year.10 There is strong and consistent evidence that effective obesity treatment can delay the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes and is highly beneficial in treating type 2 diabetes.
Recognizing this connection, the ADA announced the launch of a new division, the Obesity Association, in 2024 to bring greater focus on addressing the prevention, care, and treatment gap. The ADA supports expanding access to evidence-based obesity treatment for individuals enrolled in federal and state health care programs to curtail this disease. By removing barriers to evidence-based treatment—including nutrition intervention, obesity medications, and care—the health and economic consequences can be reduced and even avoided.
We Want to Hear from You
Our goal is to educate lawmakers about issues important to people living with diabetes and/or obesity and remain in contact with them at crucial times during the year. Members of Congress want to hear from you—their constituents—to understand your priorities. Your story supports the cause of the diabetes community on Capitol Hill.
For more information contact: Raiseyourvoice@diabetes.org
References
1. Herkert D, Vijayakumar P, Luo J, et al. Cost-Related Insulin Underuse Among Patients With Diabetes. JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(1):112–114. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.5008
2. Emily D. Parker, Janice Lin, Troy Mahoney, Nwanneamaka Ume, Grace Yang, Robert A. Gabbay, Nuha A. ElSayed, Raveendhara R. Bannuru; Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022. Diabetes Care 2 January 2024; 47 (1): 26–43. https://doi.org/10.2337/dci23-0085
3. National Diabetes Statistics Report (2024) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/
4. Te Vazquez J, Feng SN, Orr CJ, Berkowitz SA. Food insecurity and cardiometabolic conditions: a review of recent research. Curr Nutr Rep 2021;10:243–254. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-021-00364-2
5. Coleman-Jensen A, Rabbitt MP, Gregory CA, Singh A. Household Food Security in the United States in 2021. Washington, DC, USDA. Accessed 22 November 2022. Available from https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=104655
6. Levi R, Bleich SN, Seligman HK. Food Insecurity and Diabetes: Overview of Intersections and Potential Dual Solutions. Diabetes Care. 2023 Sep 1;46(9):1599-1608. https://doi: 10.2337/dci23-0002
7. Casagrande SS, Park J, Herman WH, et al. Health Insurance and Diabetes. 2023 Dec 20. In: Lawrence JM, Casagrande SS, Herman WH, et al., editors. Diabetes in America [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK597725/
8. Lee J, Callaghan T, Ory M, Zhao H, Bolin JN. The impact of Medicaid expansion on diabetes management. Diabetes Care. 2020;43(5):1094-1101. doi:10.2337/dc19-1173
9. Ibid.Casagrande SS, Park J, Herman WH, et al. Health Insurance and Diabetes. 2023 Dec 20
10. Cameron, N.A. et al. (2021) Quantifying the Sex‐Race/Ethnicity‐Specific Burden of Obesity on Incident Diabetes Mellitus in the United States, 2001 to 2016, Journal of the American Heart Association, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.120.018799
