Special Diabetes Program reauthorized by Congress

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A decision by Congress to reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program has drawn praise from the American Diabetes Association.

The program was part of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010 and will ensure continuance through 2013 of the Special Diabetes Program for American Indians while providing $150 million per year in funding.

Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes, while another 57 million are prediabetic, with Native Americans and Alaska Natives having the highest age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes among all U.S. racial and ethnic groups, according to the ADA.