Utilization of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Among Medicare Beneficiaries Newly Diagnosed With Diabetes in Arkansas, 12 Months Postdiagnosis (2015-2018)

Purpose The purpose of the study was to determine the rate of diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) utilization among Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) and Medicare Advantage (MA) populations with type 2 diabetes in Arkansas.Methods The Arkansas All-Payer Claims Database was used to identify Medicare FFS and MA beneficiaries diagnosed with type 2 diabetes from 2015 to 2018. Claims from 2013 to 2020 were analyzed to determine newly diagnosed individuals from 2015 to 2018. The criteria included 1 outpatient diabetes claim in the index year and at least 1 inpatient or outpatient claim in the 2 years following the initial claim. A total of 15 648 Medicare FFS individuals and 7520 MA individuals with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes were identified. The use of DSMES 1 year following the diagnosis dates for both Medicare FFS and MA populations was assessed. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to understand the factors associated with DSMES utilization.Results DSMES utilization consistently remained lower in the MA population compared to Medicare FFS (2.3% vs 4.9%). The adjusted analysis indicated that factors such as older age, living in a rural area, belonging to a racial group other than White, and MA enrollment were associated with a lower likelihood of receiving DSMES.Conclusions DSMES utilization in Arkansas, where the prevalence of diabetes is higher than the national average, is notably low. There is a need for coordinated efforts at various levels to enhance access to DSMES.