What’s new: CMS is proposing changes to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) to broaden the evidence-based program’s reach to more beneficiaries at risk for type 2 diabetes through an on-demand (asynchronous) online delivery option.
Why it matters: Updates to MDPP’s approach are estimated to reduce Medicare spending by $56 million; type 2 diabetes affects more than a quarter of Americans aged 65 and older and costs billions to treat each year.
What to expect: Interested parties can submit a comment on the proposed changes to MDPP (outlined in the CY2026 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule) by September 12, 2025; if these proposed changes are finalized, they will go into effect on January 1, 2026.
The big picture: Providing people with Medicare who are at risk for type 2 diabetes with tools and education to prevent or delay its onset aligns with the CMS Innovation Center’s strategy of promoting evidence-based prevention and empowering patients.
Additional details:
Beginning in 2026, CMS proposes to:
- Add coverage for on-demand (asynchronous), online delivery of MDPP to increase access and program participation among both suppliers and beneficiaries.
- Update weight collection requirements to allow beneficiaries to self-report their weight from a reasonable location or submit as part of a medical record.
- Extend the flexibilities allowed during the COVID-19 public health emergency to allow MDPP suppliers to deliver some or all MDPP sessions via distance learning.
- Clarify that MDPP suppliers are not required to maintain in-person delivery capability through December 31, 2029, to allow MDPP suppliers to deliver the program asynchronously and allow virtual-only organizations to enroll in Medicare as MDPP suppliers.
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