Home Administrative Billing & Reimbursement BlueCard® Health and Wellness Medical PEAR portal Pharmacy Products Quality Management

Help Medicare-eligible patients prevent diabetes with SilverSneakers®

March 28, 2013

[

As you know, chronic diseases exact a particularly heavy health and economic burden on older adults due to associated long-term illness, diminished quality of life, and increased health care costs. In 2005, 133 million people?almost half of all Americans?lived with at least one chronic condition and 70 percent of all deaths in this country were attributed to chronic diseases. The medical care costs of people with chronic diseases account for more than 75 percent of the nation?s $2 trillion medical care costs.1

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing conditions in the United States. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is highly correlated with lifestyle factors, specifically poor diet and physical inactivity. According to the American Diabetes Association, type 2 diabetes can be prevented through modest lifestyle changes and losing about 5 to 7 percent of body weight. Being active can help to control and maintain body weight and stabilize blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Exercise can also help prevent heart and blood flow problems, reducing the risk of heart disease and nerve damage, which are often problems for people with diabetes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, swimming, or bicycling, for 2.5 hours every week and muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week.2 Patients who are not accustomed to physical activity should start slowly and work their way up. Talk to your patients about a safe exercise plan.

SilverSneakers can help

Research shows Medicare-eligible patients with diabetes who participate in the Healthways SilverSneakers Fitness Program are admitted to the hospital less often, have lower inpatient care costs, and see significant reductions in their overall health care costs after only a year.3 SilverSneakers is the nation?s leading exercise program for Medicare-eligible patients, offering physical activity, health education, and social events. SilverSneakers members receive a complimentary membership with access to a variety of participating locations throughout the country.

Note: SilverSneakers is offered to Keystone 65 HMO and Personal Choice 65SM PPO members at no cost. To enroll in the program, members should bring their SilverSneakers ID card to a participating SilverSneakers location. Members can visit the SilverSneakers website or call 1-888-423-4632 for a complete list of locations.

1 www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/05/grants05132011a.html

2 www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/olderadults.html

3 http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/8/1562.full

SilverSneakers is a program of Healthways, Inc., an independent company

]

This content was prepared for the Provider News Center and may not be reproduced in any way without the express written permission of Independence Blue Cross. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Connect with us     Facebook     Twitter     Flickr     YouTube     Walk the Talk    Independence Pinterest    Independence LinkedIn    Independence Instagram Site Map        Anti-Fraud        Privacy Policy        Legal        Disclaimer
© 2023 Independence Blue Cross.
Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, serving the health insurance needs of Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania.