It's never too late to start fighting diabetes. That's the message from the Obama administration's proposal to have Medicare pay for seniors to access lifestyle programs aimed at helping them lose weight and prevent diabetes.
Medicare will cover programs in which counselors guide seniors towards exercise and healthier food choices. According to the Centers for Disease Control, those above 65 account for roughly a quarter of the 86 million Americans categorized as "prediabetic" because of high blood sugar levels.
The effort was borne out of a 2012 pilot involving the YMCA. The organization, funded by a $12 million federal grant, ran a 15 month program in eight states targeting seniors with prediabetes. The feds determined that Medicare saved an average of $2,650 per participant as a result of the improvement to their health.
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