Medicare Advantage Plans Better Than Traditional Medicare For Diabetes Diagnosis & Care Management

Among Medicare beneficiaries with prediabetes who then developed Type 2 diabetes, those enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans were diagnosed with diabetes earlier than those enrolled in fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare. At diagnosis, the Medicare Advantage beneficiaries had a lower diabetes severity score than those enrolled in FFS.
During the first year of the diagnosis, Medicare Advantage members diagnosed with diabetes were more likely than those enrolled in FFS Medicare to fill prescriptions for medications to treat diabetes and related conditions. The prescription fill rate for blood pressure and cholesterol medications was similarly high for both Medicare Advantage and FFS . . .