Twenty Community-Based Organizations Across the United States Receive Awards to Encourage Seniors to Get Screened for Diabetes

Outstanding Proposals Receive Recognition from the Medicare Diabetes Screening Project

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leaders of the Medicare Diabetes Screening Project (MDSP) announced today that twenty community-based organizations from 17 states were given awards of $2,500 each to be used to encourage seniors ages 65 and older who are covered under Medicare to get screened for diabetes.

Selected from more than 120 applications from 33 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, the award-winning proposals offered a variety of innovative ways for increasing awareness of the diabetes screening benefits offered by Medicare and motivating eligible seniors to take action.

The Medicare Diabetes Screening Project is designed to help improve the lives of seniors ages 65 and older by educating them about the diabetes screening benefits offered by Medicare and encouraging them to ask their health care providers about getting screened during their next office visit.  Founded in 2006, the MDSP is a coalition of more than 20 national public, private and non-profit organizations, co-led by the American Diabetes Association, the Healthcare Leadership Council, and Novo Nordisk Inc., which provided funding for the MDSP awards.  

Beginning in 2005, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began offering coverage under Medicare for screening for diabetes and pre-diabetes.  The government's goal was twofold: to encourage diabetes prevention among those found to have pre-diabetes, and to identify people who were unaware they already had diabetes so that they could begin treatment and potentially stave off the serious complications of the disease.

Examples of ideas to be implemented by the award winners include:

• Seminars at local churches, and senior and community centers.
• Diabetes awareness campaigns and media outreach.
• Production of public service announcements for radio and television.
• Physician outreach and risk assessment referrals.
• Distribution of informational materials to medical offices, hospitals, social service agencies, senior centers, and other key locations.
• Development of MDSP displays for use at community centers, health fairs and expos.

A complete list of the award winners is as follows:

• Action for Older Persons – Binghamton, NY
• Alliance for Aging – Miami, FL
• Alice Hyde Medical Center – Malone, NY
• Area 1 Agency on Aging – Eureka, CA
• Bristol Elder Services – Fall River, MA
• Carroll County Bureau of Aging – Westminster, MD
• COSSMA – Cidra, PR
• Family Service of Upper Ohio Valley– Wheeling, WV
• Freeman-Oak Hill Health System – Joplin, MO
• Grand Forks Parks and Recreation – Grand Forks, ND
• Johnson City Senior Center Foundation – Johnson City, TN
• The Heritage Area Agency on Aging – Cedar Rapids, IA
• Korean American Senior Center – Chicago, IL
• La Crosse County Aging Unit – La Crosse, WI
• Macoupin County Public Health Department – Carlinville, IL
• Maricopa Integrated Health System – Phoenix, AZ
• Mid Florida Area Agency on Aging – Gainesville, FL
• NCW Rural Health Foundation – Wenatchee, WA
• Positive Image Productions – Missouri City, TX
• WellMed Charitable Foundation – San Antonio, TX

The Medicare Diabetes Screening Project is a national effort to reach and motivate seniors who have undiagnosed diabetes or pre-diabetes, and encourage them to see their doctors or other health care providers, and take advantage of the free diabetes screening benefits offered by Medicare.  To learn more, visit www.screenfordiabetes.org.

SOURCE Medicare Diabetes Screening Project