I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2787 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to diabetes 
self-management training by authorizing certified diabetes educators to 
provide diabetes self-management training services, including as part 
of telehealth services, under part B of the Medicare program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 1, 2011 
Mr. WHITFIELD (for himself and Ms. DEGETTE) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve 
access to diabetes self-management training by author-
izing certified diabetes educators to provide diabetes self- 
management training services, including as part of tele-
health services, under part B of the Medicare program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Medicare Diabetes 
Self-Management Training Act of 2011’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Diabetes self-management training, also 
called diabetes education, provides critical knowledge 
and skills training to patients with diabetes, helping 
them manage medications, address nutritional 
issues, facilitate diabetes-related problem solving, 
and make other critical lifestyle changes to effec-
tively manage their diabetes. 
(2) A certified diabetes educator is a State li-
censed or registered health care professional who 
specializes in helping people with diabetes develop 
the self-management skills needed to stay healthy 
and avoid costly acute complications and emergency 
care, as well as debilitating secondary conditions 
caused by diabetes. 
(3) Diabetes self-management training has been 
proven effective in helping to reduce the risks and 
complications of diabetes and is a vital component of 
an overall diabetes treatment regimen. Patients 
under the care of a certified diabetes educator are 
better able to control their diabetes and improve 
their health status. 
(4) Lifestyle changes, such as those taught by 
certified diabetes educators, directly contribute to 
better glycemic control and reduced complications 
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from diabetes. Evidence shows that the potential for 
prevention of the most serious medical complications 
caused by diabetes to be as high as 90 percent 
(blindness), 85 percent (amputations), and 50 per-
cent (heart disease and stroke) with proper medical 
treatment and active self-management. 
(5) Despite its effectiveness in reducing diabe-
tes-related complications and associated costs, diabe-
tes self-management training has been recognized by 
policymakers as an underutilized Medicare benefit. 
Enhancing access to diabetes self-management train-
ing programs that are taught by Certified Diabetes 
Educators is an important public policy goal that 
can help improve health outcomes, ensure quality, 
and reduce escalating diabetes-related health costs. 
SEC. 3. RECOGNITION OF CERTIFIED DIABETES EDU-
CATORS AS AUTHORIZED PROVIDERS OF 
MEDICARE 
DIABETES 
OUTPATIENT 
SELF- 
MANAGEMENT TRAINING SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1861(qq) of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(qq)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘by a certified 
provider (as described in paragraph (2)(A)) in an 
outpatient setting’’ and inserting ‘‘in an outpatient 
setting by a certified diabetes educator (as defined 
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