Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medicare To Target Diabetes With Proposed Plan To Pay For 'Lifestyle Change Programs'
The Obama administration plans on Wednesday to propose expanding Medicare to cover programs to prevent diabetes among millions of people at high risk of developing the disease, marking the sixth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act with the prospect of a new benefit, federal officials said. Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the secretary of health and human services, is scheduled to announce the proposal at a Y.M.C.A. here. Under the plan, Medicare would pay for certain 鈥渓ifestyle change programs鈥 in which trained counselors would coach consumers on healthier eating habits and increased physical activity as ways to prevent Type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult onset diabetes. (Pear, 3/23)
Meanwhile, the president releases a statement touting the benefits that have come from the health law聽鈥
Obamacare has its sixth anniversary Wednesday and the White House is declaring victory over critics who said it would fail and multiple lawsuits seeking to have it declared unconstitutional. President Barack Obama signed the law, known formally as the Affordable Care Act, on March 23, 2010 after a big fight with Congress. Democrats held a slim majority at the time and passed the law without a single Republican vote. (Fox, 3/22)
