U.S. Senator Charles Schumer was in Watertown Thursday to unveil what he termed a “landmark diabetes package” of programs and legislation that would expand screening and early treatment, fight childhood obesity and improve access to essential medical care and medical exams.
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Schumer’s proposed legislation would shift the federal government’s focus more toward early detection and effective treatment by expanding access and Medicaid coverage of diabetes screening.
The senator also said he is working to establish a pilot program in Upstate NY where participating businesses can reduce health care costs when providing employees with coverage for diabetes-related medications and services.
The voluntary program would be modeled after the Asheville Project in North Carolina. Schumer said employers participating in the Ashville Project showed a four to one return on investment due to their employees avoiding hospitalizations and missed days of work by managing and treating their diabetes symptoms.