Mary Caffrey

Highlights from the recent gathering of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, which met August 12-15, 2016, in San Diego, California.

Questions about hospitals or their foundations paying for premiums of sick patients to keep them out of Medicaid are as old as the exchanges themselves.

A nonprofit that provides free sports physicals was able to gather data that revealed important population health findings.

The findings suggest that the improved glycemic control that often comes with bariatric surgery may have a role in affecting the brain's response to food.

The researcher, Kyle Fluegge, PhD, found that just comparing fluoride levels by parts per million showed little, but comparisons based on how much water people drank were revealing.

Researchers found that drug prices would need to be less than one-third of their current retail value to be cost-effective.

Work at the University of Montreal shows how a urea impacts a protein, disrupting insulin secretion and elevating blood glucose.

Another large insurer says it can't sustain losses from people who were sicker than anyone imagined. Leaving unprofitable markets doesn't answer the question of how to pay for their care.

A commentary accompanying the study assets there's no question that targeted retail advertising makes it more likely that children will start smoking and less likely that adults will quit.

While there has been some recent progress, bias pervades healthcare when it comes to obesity treatment. This gives patients less access to care than they receive for other chronic conditions, even though obesity causes some of those conditions.

More than 3500 sites offer diabetes self-management education, and speakers at the annual meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators discussed how this system could be engaged to bring the Diabetes Prevention Program to all 50 states.

Despite recent progress by advocates, children with type 1 diabetes still face discrimination at school. A panel at the meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators spelled out what laws apply, what plans schools must have, and how certified diabetes educators can help allay fears and misunderstanding.

An administrator and a dietitian presented their blueprint for shared appointments, which they said offer patients both individual attention and group support.

The transition to a value-based payment system may ultimately reward diabetes educators, but right now these professionals see challenges on the front lines.

Payers are making investments in care coordination to halt the overuse of services and medication. Certified diabetes educators (CDEs) are ideal candidates for this role, since so much of high healthcare spending is due to chronic disease.

A study found that certified diabetes educators embedded in a primary practice, while consulting with an endocrinologist, were able to dramatically improve A1C in a short time by overcoming clinical inertia.

Getting diabetes self-management education within reach of the target audience means putting trainers into primary care practices. A program from the University of Washington shows how to transport lessons from an academic center into local clinics.

The importance of care coordination and the role of diabetes educators in the primary care practice is a theme of the 2016 meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, taking place in San Diego, California.

The authors note that employers dictate what Americans do for a large portion of the waking hours, and public health strategies to improve cardiovascular health could be targeted to certain job groups.

The findings of improved glycemic control but some incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis are consistent with other early findings of use of SGLT2 inhibitors in type 1 diabetes.

Adding more states and conditions to the Medicare Advantage value-based insurance design model will allow CMS to reach a more diverse group of plans and patients, in both rural and urban settings.

The institute is part of a planned development by Joseph Canizaro, who grew up in Biloxi and has transformed New Orleans' skyline over 4 decades.

The step comes in the wake of reports from Pro Publica, which found 47 incidents since 2012, and signs the problem was getting worse.

Medicaid expansion programs in Arkansas and Kentucky were found to be equally effective at improving healthcare access for the target population. Both programs face revisions following the election of Republican governors, who want to add work requirements.

The study reveals the importance of a taking a precision medicine approach to diabetes care.

The GAO report suggests that states will not be allowed to use the 1332 "superwaiver" process to roll back Medicaid coverage.

The 2016 presidential race has been mostly about the candidates' personal qualities and less about their policies. But that doesn't mean Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton don't have debate-worthy ideas in their healthcare platforms.

The GeneSight test address an unmet need that mental health leaders have wanted for years: a way to avoid the "try until it fails" approach in selecting anti-depressants.

The findings support observations from an expert panel convened by The American Journal of Managed Care, who said patients lack awareness of the consequences of diabetes on their vision.

Both Express Scripts and CVS Health said they were taking aim at prescription drug prices that keep going up even when competitors are available.