✔ Backed by: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Medicare.gov. Each fact links to its source, and the full list is at the bottom of this post.
November is National Diabetes Month, and this year the focus is on prevention.[1] That is good news. One of the most useful tools to help prevent type 2 diabetes is also one of the least known. It is called the National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program. Most people have never heard of it, even people whose doctor has told them their blood sugar is “a little high.”
Maybe that is you. Maybe a lab report came back with a number flagged in yellow, and someone said, “Let’s keep an eye on it.” You went home, nothing hurt, and life got busy. That is very normal. But there is a real, structured next step you can ask about, and for many people with Medicare it costs nothing.
Prediabetes is common, and most people don’t know they have it
Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to be called type 2 diabetes.[6] The CDC says 115.2 million American adults, more than 2 in 5, have prediabetes. And 8 in 10 of them don’t know it.[2]
Why does it matter? Prediabetes raises the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.[2] Since so many people don’t know they have it, testing matters. Only a blood test can give an official diagnosis.[6]
NIDDK lists several things that raise the chance of type 2 diabetes: overweight or obesity, being age 35 or older, a family history of diabetes, certain racial and ethnic backgrounds, being physically inactive, and having prediabetes.[1] If any of those fit you, it is fair to ask your clinician whether a blood sugar test makes sense. You can also ask what steps could help you prevent type 2 diabetes.
You can say: “Diabetes runs in my family, and I’m over 35. Could we check my blood sugar at my next visit?”
How the lifestyle change program can help prevent type 2 diabetes
The program is a yearlong group program led by a trained Lifestyle Coach.[3] It is not a diet you buy, and it is not a gym membership. Think of it as a class plus a support team. The coach helps you work on everyday habits like eating healthier, managing stress, and moving more. You meet with others who have similar goals, so you are not doing it alone.[3]
Here is the part that gets attention: research shows that people who make these kinds of changes can cut their risk of type 2 diabetes in half.[3] NIDDK adds that losing 5 to 7 percent of your starting weight may help prevent or delay diabetes.[1] For someone who weighs 200 pounds, that is about 10 to 14 pounds. It is a goal you work toward over months, with help, not a crash plan.
The program is meant for people who have prediabetes or are at risk for type 2 diabetes, but who do not already have diabetes.[3] If you already have type 2 diabetes, this is not the right program. But diabetes education and other support are available. Your care team can point you there.
In person, online, and in your language
One of the best things about this program is the choice. Some groups meet in a classroom-style room with the coach. Others meet online, either as live group sessions or as sessions you complete on your own schedule.[4] Programs are offered in a variety of languages, and the CDC’s search tool lets you pick your preferred language.[4]
Picture two neighbors. Rosa likes to talk things through with people face to face, so she joins a group that meets at her community center on Tuesday evenings. Darnell works nights and has a hard time getting anywhere on a schedule. So he chooses an online version he can do after his shift. Same program, two very different weeks. The best format is the one you will actually keep doing.
To find a program, use the CDC’s search page. Enter your city, state, or ZIP code to see sites near you, plus online options.[4] The CDC suggests contacting the organization directly for the most current class times and locations.[4]
If you have Medicare: the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program
Medicare Part B covers a version called the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program, or MDPP, as a preventive service. If you qualify, you pay nothing.[5] If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your plan may require you to use an in-network provider. So call the number on your card first.[5]
The Medicare version has 16 weekly sessions over about 6 months, followed by 6 monthly follow-up sessions to help you keep your new habits going.[5] You can choose in-person classes, live online classes, or self-paced online sessions.[5] And there is no limit on how many times you can take part.[5] If life got in the way the first time, you can try again.
Medicare has specific rules for who qualifies. According to Medicare.gov, all of these must be true:[5]
- A blood test within 12 months before your first session showed an A1c of 5.7% to 6.4%, a fasting blood sugar of 110 to 125 mg/dL, or a 2-hour blood sugar of 140 to 199 mg/dL.
- Your body mass index (BMI) is 25 or more, or 23 or more if you are Asian.
- You have never been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, or with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Those numbers can feel like a lot. You do not need to figure them out alone. Bring your most recent lab results to your visit and ask your clinician to look at them with you.
What to ask at your next visit
A short, clear question can open the door. Here are a few you can bring on your phone or on paper:
- “Do my recent lab results show prediabetes?”
- “Would a diabetes prevention lifestyle program be a good fit for me?”
- “Do I meet the Medicare rules for the Diabetes Prevention Program? Can you note my lab result in my chart?”
- “Is there a program you recommend near me or online?”
- “What are my goals for blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol?”
That last question comes straight from NIDDK’s advice to know your “ABCs”: A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and to ask your care team what your goals should be.[1] NIDDK also reminds us that diabetes care can be stressful, and that counseling or support groups can help.[1] Building habits is hard work. Being kind to yourself is part of the plan.
If you have private insurance or coverage through work, call the member services number and ask, “Do you cover a CDC-recognized diabetes prevention lifestyle change program?” Coverage varies, so it is worth asking before you sign up.
Tru-Tips: Ask for a printed copy of your last lab results, or find them in your patient portal, and keep them with this post. Having the actual A1c number in hand makes the conversation with your clinician, and with a program, much faster.
One Tru Step: This week, look up your most recent A1c or fasting blood sugar result. If it is in the prediabetes range, or you are not sure, write down one question from the list above and bring it to your next visit.
Let’s talk
Have you ever been told your blood sugar was “borderline”? What helped you take the next step, or what got in the way? If you have tried a group program, in person or online, what made it work for you? Share in the comments so others can learn from you.
Sources and further reading
- NIDDK: National Diabetes Month
- CDC: Prediabetes: Could It Be You?
- CDC: Preventing Type 2 Diabetes with the Lifestyle Change Program
- CDC: Find a Lifestyle Change Program
- Medicare.gov: Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program
- CDC: About the Prediabetes Risk Test
Sources checked October 22, 2026. General education; individual care and coverage questions require an appropriate professional.
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