Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act of 2025

Key Points

• The bill eliminates all out-of-pocket costs for diabetes self-management training under Medicare. Patients would no longer pay copays or deductibles for these services, with Medicare covering 100 percent of the cost.
• Patients get a guaranteed 10 hours of initial training that never expires, plus 2 additional hours every year after that. If a doctor or qualified practitioner says more training is medically necessary, Medicare cannot limit those extra hours.
• The bill expands who can refer patients to training. Instead of requiring a referral from the specific physician managing a patient's diabetes, any physician or qualified nonphysician practitioner (like a nurse practitioner) can now make the referral.
• A new pilot program would test virtual (online) diabetes training through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. The program must launch by January 1, 2026, and would study whether web-based classes improve health outcomes, reduce hospitalizations, and lower costs.
• The main changes to in-person training coverage and cost-sharing take effect for services provided on or after January 1, 2027. The virtual training pilot program has a separate, earlier deadline of January 1, 2026.