Diabetes News
Taking Away Health Insurance Protections and Tools for Diabetes Management Will Result in a Dramatic Rise in Diabetes-Related Complications
ALEXANDRIA, July 26, 2005. (PRNewswire) — The American Diabetes Association today reiterated its strong opposition to federal legislation to create Association Health Plans (AHPs) that would be exempt from state regulation and oversight and would negatively impact millions of Americans with diabetes. By enabling AHPs to circumvent state regulation and oversight, the "Small Business Health Fairness Act" (H.R. 525, S. 406) would result in the loss of critical health coverage for millions of people with diabetes. Forty-six states require insurers to provide coverage for diabetes supplies, medication, equipment and education, but H.R. 525 would do away with those basic protections. The Association called on the U.S. House of Representatives to reject the legislation when it is voted on today.
"It's neither fair nor accurate for this legislation's proponents to say that 'some coverage' is better than 'no coverage,'" said Jim Schlicht, Chief Government Affairs and Advocacy Officer at the American Diabetes Association. "For the 18.2 million Americans who have diabetes, being underinsured with respect to their diabetes education and supplies is as problematic as having no coverage at all. Taking away high insurance protections and the tools for diabetes management will result in a dramatic rise in diabetes-related complications, including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and amputations."
The American Diabetes Association is committed to expanding insurance coverage for people with diabetes and ensuring that such coverage enables them to sufficiently manage their disease. A critically important component of this effort has been consumer protections in 46 states requiring insurers to provide adequate coverage for diabetes supplies, equipment and education. Those protections have been vital to people with diabetes, who must constantly monitor and manage their disease.
The National Lieutenant Governor's Association, Council of State Governments, National Black Caucus of State Legislators and National Conference of Black Mayors have all passed resolutions supporting the protection of the 46 state diabetes health insurance requirements and encouraging the remaining states to also provide such protections for their residents.
"This bill may be good for AHP insurers, but by taking away basic health insurance protections for diabetes management that exist only at the state level, this will make health care even worse for everyone else," Schlicht said. "While the American Diabetes Association shares the concern for helping small businesses provide health insurance to their employees, we strongly believe that this legislation is not the answer."
Diabetes is one of this nation's most prevalent, debilitating, deadly and costly diseases. While 18.2 million Americans live with diabetes today, estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that one in three Americans born in the year 2000 will live with diabetes in their lifetime. Approximately 42,000 people suffering from diabetes live in each congressional district and that number is growing by an estimated 8 percent per year. In 2002, one in 10 healthcare dollars went towards diabetes care. The cost of diabetes in America in 2002 was at least $132 billion.
"This current version of AHP legislation is nearsighted and misguided, and ultimately would impede our efforts to keep these costs from spiraling out of control," Schlicht said.