Understanding Diabetes Self-Management Education and Training

The United States is in the grips of a diabetes epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 29 million Americans have diabetes — more than the entire population of Texas.

One in 3 adults has prediabetes, placing them at high risk for developing diabetes. People typically manage their diabetes and prediabetes on their own, without constant help from a health care professional. For this reason, it’s important to give people with diabetes the tools to monitor their condition and make healthy changes. Diabetes Self-Management Education and Training (DSME/T) gives patients the knowledge and skills necessary for effective diabetes self-care. Research shows that by empowering patients to better manage their diabetes, DSME/T significantly improves health outcomes and reduces health care expenditures.

Insurance coverage presents one lever for ensuring people can access and receive high-quality DSME/T, and many states require public and private health insurance plans to cover these services. With support from the CDC, ChangeLab Solutions and the Temple University Policy Surveillance Program have developed several resources (available below for download) to help communities understand DSME/T and the DSME/T policy landscape:

1. National Fact Sheet: A brief analysis of the epidemiological data on diabetes, national trends in DSME/T coverage, and opportunities for reform
2. National Map and Policy Poster: An introduction to DSME/T and a map of existing DSME/T coverage across the country
3. Literature Review: A comprehensive examination of DSME/T, including research on DSME/T effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and participation among people with diabetes 

We have also developed 51 individual profiles — from every state and the District of Columbia — that discuss state policies that require DSME/T coverage for patients. Contact our team to learn more about the benefits of and available coverage for DSME/T.