Once-a-year testing is critically important to providing quality diabetes care

One in every 10 Americans have diabetes, but one in every five don’t know they have it. This makes annual testing important to those who have symptoms. For those patients who are diagnosed, testing is vitally important to reducing serious health complications and the costs associated with them. It isn’t always easy to help patients understand the need for annual testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has resources you can use in your practice to educate, inform, and hopefully motivate your patients. Visit their website cdc.gov and use their Health Care Providers section to access patient education programs, prevention toolkits and more.

Measure up

 

Comprehensive Diabetes Care (CDC): This HEDIS® measure evaluates Anthem Blue Cross members aged 18 to 75 years with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Each year, members with type 1 or type 2 diabetes should have:

• Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing - HbA1c control (< 8%)
• Eye exam (retinal) performed
• Evaluation for kidney disease
• BP control (< 140/90 mm Hg)

 

Code type	Description	Code
ICD-10	Type 1 diabetes mellitus without complications	E10.9
ICD-10	Type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications	E11.9
ICD-10	Other specified diabetes mellitus without complications	E13.9

 

HEDIS® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
2765-0622-PN-CA