Each year in the United States, diabetes is diagnosed in about 800,000 people. Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting the body’s ability to make or use insulin, the hormone that transports glucose from digested nutrients into the body’s cells for energy and growth.

The disease causes a variety of disabling and life-threatening complications and is the leading cause of nontraumatic amputations, blindness among working-age adults, and end-stage kidney disease. Nearly 21 million Americans – 7 percent of the total U.S. population – have diabetes. Another 41 million Americans have “pre-diabetes,” meaning their blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes, putting them in an elevated risk category.

One out of every 10 health-care dollars is spent on diabetes and its complications. In addition to the $132 billion spent each year as a result of the disease’s prevalence, diabetes is a significant cause of heart disease, stroke, and the leading cause of kidney disease.

Seniors are at a particular risk for developing diabetes, as approximately one-half of all diabetes cases occur in people older than 55 years of age. Minorities also face an increased risk of developing diabetes, and the CDC has estimated that by 2050, one in two minority adults will have the disease.

Other risk factors for all Americans include a family history of diabetes, being overweight, lack of regular exercise, and low HDL cholesterol or high blood pressure. Some necessary proactive steps include: taking a diabetes risk test, getting earlier access to quality treatment, and making healthy choices such as eating right and staying active.

Between 1990 and 2001, diabetes prevalence in the United States increased by more than 60 percent. One in three Americans born in 2000 will get diabetes in their lifetime if current trends continue. These disturbing figures highlight the need for early detection screenings, which help doctors prevent the onset of the more serious affects of the disease such as heart, kidney, and vision complications.

For these reasons, I am a member of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, and I continue to support the passage of legislation which improves diabetes research, education, and treatment. I am pleased to report that the Recovery Act, which Congress approved and the President signed into law earlier this year, provides $10 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This significant increase in NIH funding will expand research on a range of diseases, including diabetes.

I am also working to improve diabetes services for individuals receiving Medicare. Presently, the Medicare program screens and identifies beneficiaries with pre-diabetes but does not provide adequate services to such beneficiaries to prevent them from becoming diabetic. In order to address this shortcoming and improve the services available to Medicare beneficiaries, I have cosponsored the Preventing Diabetes in Medicare Act. This legislation would provide Medicare coverage for medical nutrition therapy services for people with pre-diabetes and risk factors for developing type-2 diabetes.

I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 2425, the Medicare Diabetes Self-Management Training Act, which would provide for the recognition of state-licensed and certified health-care professionals as Medicare providers of diabetes outpatient self-management training services.  This measure would expand access to diabetes care for Medicare beneficiaries in underserved areas.

Diabetes self-management training, also called diabetes education, provides critical knowledge and skills training to patients with diabetes, helping them identify barriers, solve problems, and develop coping skills to effectively manage their diabetes. Diabetes self-management training has been proven effective in helping to reduce the risks and complications of diabetes.

I would also like to note that in April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided a federal grant of $149,859 to St. Mary’s Health Wagon to expand its diabetes prevention and education services. The Health Wagon serves patients in Dickenson, Buchanan, Wise and Russell Counties and the City of Norton regardless of ability to pay. The federal funding will enable the Health Wagon to address the critical need for diabetes care in the region in coordination with Mountain States Health Alliance and the University of Virginia Health System by implementing a comprehensive primary care program for patients with or at risk of developing chronic diabetes.

Seeing a doctor and getting a physical is the best way to determine an individual’s risk for developing diabetes. I encourage everyone in Southwest Virginia to use Diabetes Month as an opportunity to visit a physician with a friend or relative to determine what steps can be taken to live a longer, healthier life. Early detection and treatment are vital to preventing or delaying the onset of diabetes or its complications. For more information on American Diabetes Month, please visit the Web site of the American Diabetes Association.

Rick Boucher is Congressman for the 9th District of Virginia, which includes the New River Valley. You can catch his Capitol Commentary regularly at newrivervoice.com.