The outstanding proposal recognized with $2,500 by the Medicare Diabetes Screening Project
The Heritage Agency on Aging announced today that it has received a competitive award of $2,500 to be used for increasing awareness of the benefits for screening for diabetes and pre-diabetes that are offered by Medicare. The Heritage Agency was one of twenty community-based organizations across the United States chosen from more than 120 applications from 33 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, to receive an award from the Medicare Diabetes Screening Project (MDSP), a national coalition of patient, nonprofit organizations, and corporate partners, that is leading the way in encouraging seniors to improve their health by getting checked for diabetes.
“We are thrilled to receive this award from the MDSP because it allows us to increase our outreach to seniors in Eastern Iowa” said Tim Getty. “Increasing awareness of diabetes and the need for appropriate screening is in line with our mission and nicely complements other disease prevention and health promotion activities already underway.”
The Heritage Agency plans to use the $2,500 grant to educate seniors throughout eastern Iowa about the diabetes screening benefit. Information will be distributed through local agencies, health fairs, newsletters and through newspaper, radio, and television outlets
“We were delighted to recognize the outstanding proposal submitted by The Heritage Agency,” said Jay Hedlund, national director of the MDSP. “We look forward to the successful implementation of their activities and most important, to a positive impact for seniors on awareness and use of the diabetes screening benefits that Medicare offers.”
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.
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 comprised of a coalition of more than 20 national organizations, co-led by the American Diabetes Association, the Healthcare Leadership Council, and Novo Nordisk. More information and materials for public awareness are available at www.screenfordiabetes.org.
The Heritage Agency on Aging is the leader in planning, coordinating, advocating for, and funding home and community based programs that serve the more than 60,000 older adults in Linn, Johnson, Cedar, Iowa, Benton, Jones and Washington Counties in Iowa. Some of the programs and services that Heritage helps fund include home delivered meals, elder abuse prevention, adult day care, senior dining meal sites, volunteer transportation, and caregiver support.