During November, Quality Insights of Delaware supports American Diabetes Month, a time to raise awareness of this ever-growing disease.

According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Another 79 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of the disease. Recent estimates project that as many as one in three American adults will have diabetes by 2050 unless they take steps to stop it.

The financial cost of diabetes is staggering. The ADA estimates the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S. is $174 billion. Direct medical costs reach $116 billion, and the average medical expenditure among people with diabetes is 2.3 times higher than those without the disease.

Medicare makes it affordable for seniors to get free diabetes screenings, including blood glucose testing.  To learn more about diabetes screenings covered by Medicare, go to www.medicare.gov/coverage/diabetes-screenings.html.

There are several things that can be done to help lower one's chances of developing type 2 diabetes.  Adults should have cholesterol checked every five years, or more often if there’s a problem.  Some steps to help reduce diabetes include the following:  Quit smoking.  Maintain a healthy weight.  Exercise most days of the week. Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet with plenty of fresh veggies, whole grains and fruit. Increase monounsaturated fats in diet, including canola oil, avocado oil or olive oil.

Quality Insights of Delaware, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Delaware, is partnering with Delaware Health and Social Services to host free Health Screening & Diabetes Expos at senior living communities throughout Delaware. These expos provide seniors with the opportunity to get their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels checked by qualified healthcare providers. Seniors can also talk to professionals about eye care, foot care, their medications, nutrition and exercise.

Quality Insights of Delaware, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, protects Medicare patient rights and works collaboratively with hospitals and other healthcare providers in Delaware to assist them in their efforts to improve the quality of the care they deliver. To learn more, visit www.qide.org.