Only 6.8% of Privately Insured Adults Aged 18 to 64 Years Attended DSMT

Privately insured people with newly diagnosed diabetes are not participating in diabetes self-management education and training (DSMT), jeopardizing their ability to improve glycemic control and reduce the risk of complications and hospitalizations. Using the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database, researchers found that only 6.8% attended DSMT. Based on actual DSMT claims, participation rates were higher among patients 45 years or older, those who were prescribed insulin, those who lived in close proximity to a city, or those enrolled in fee-for-service health plans. But fewer than 15% of these subgroups participated in DSMT. — JAMA. 2015;313(4):348. doi:10.1001/jama.2014.17597