If you have diabetes and your doctor says that you need
diabetes self-management training and education, Medicare will cover up to 10 hours of self-management training for your first year, and two hours every year.
Medicare will also cover certain diabetic supplies, such as glucose monitors and control solutions, lancets, and test strips. You can get these benefits even if you don't use insulin. If you use an insulin pump, the insulin and the pump may be covered as durable medical equipment under Medicare Part B. Contact your Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractor (DME MAC) for more information. To find the number of your local DME MAC, call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).
If you inject your insulin with a needle (syringe), the Medicare drug benefit (Part D) covers the cost of insulin and the supplies necessary to inject the insulin, including syringes, needles, alcohol swabs and gauze. Your Medicare drug plan will cover other medications to treat your diabetes at home as long as they are on your plan's list of covered drugs ("formulary").
For more information about the new Medicare drug benefit, click on the link in the GO TO box.
Diabetics with peripheral neuropathy may also receive Medicare-covered foot care once every six months, as long as they have not seen a foot-care specialist for another reason between visits. If you have severe diabetic foot disease, you may qualify for Medicare-covered therapeutic shoes. The doctor who treats your diabetes must certify your need for the shoes. Medicare helps pay for one pair of therapeutic shoes and inserts per calendar year. The fitting of the shoes or inserts is covered in the Medicare payment for the shoes.
Medicare will pay 80 percent of the Medicare-approved amount of all covered diabetes supplies and services, after you have paid the yearly Part B deductible. (If you are in a Medicare private health plan-HMO or PPO-you may have a copay for this service. Call your plan to find out what you will have to pay.)
People with diabetes may also qualify for Medicare-covered medical nutritional therapy.
For more information on medical nutrition therapy, click on the link in the GO TO box.
