If you have prediabetes and Medicare Part B, Georgia's Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program gives you a free, year-long coaching program built to keep you from developing type 2 diabetes. This guide explains who qualifies, what the program involves, what it costs, and where Georgians can find a participating supplier.

In This Guide

What Is the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program?

The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is a covered Medicare Part B preventive service for people at risk of type 2 diabetes who have never been diagnosed with it. Instead of a prescription, it's a health behavior change program: a year of structured sessions built to keep prediabetes from turning into type 2 diabetes.

Its rules are set in federal regulation at 42 CFR 410.79, and the sessions follow a diabetes prevention curriculum approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Who Qualifies for the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program in Georgia?

Eligibility is set by federal rule at 42 CFR 410.79 and is the same in Georgia as everywhere else. To enroll, a beneficiary must meet all of the following:,

  • Be enrolled in Medicare Part B. Medicare Advantage plans cover MDPP too, but you may have to use an in-network supplier, so contact your plan first.
  • Have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher on the date of your first core session, or 23 or higher if you self-identify as Asian.
  • Have a qualifying lab result in the 12 months before your first core session, documented by one of three tests: a hemoglobin A1C of 5.7 to 6.4 percent, a fasting plasma glucose of 110 to 125 mg/dL, or a two-hour plasma glucose of 140 to 199 mg/dL on an oral glucose tolerance test.
  • Have no previous diabetes diagnosis other than gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes during a past pregnancy does not disqualify you.
  • Not have end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

The regulation's list also includes a timing condition tied to your first core session, which once carried a once-per-lifetime clause; see Can You Enroll More Than Once? for where that stands now. The list has no upper age limit, and other health conditions, such as high blood pressure, aren't among its criteria.

What the Program Looks Like: One Year, Two Phases

The covered program runs one year, split into two phases defined in 42 CFR 410.79:

  • Core sessions (months 1 to 6). Up to 16 core sessions, offered at least a week apart.
  • Core maintenance sessions (months 7 to 12). Up to 6 more sessions, offered at least a month apart.

Under the regulation, the MDPP services period ends when that 12-month core period is complete, and CMS says eligible patients can take part for up to 1 year regardless of attendance or weight loss.

The regulation sets the program's minimum weight-loss mark at 5 percent of your starting weight; for someone who weighs 200 pounds, that's 10 pounds. Weights used to measure it are normally taken in person by the supplier or come from your medical record, though through December 31, 2029 CMS says suppliers may let you self-report your weight for distance learning and online sessions.

Can You Enroll More Than Once?

For most of MDPP's history, it was a strictly once-per-lifetime benefit. That has changed. As of February 3, 2026, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 7148, Division J, Title II, Section 6214) eliminated the once-per-lifetime limit, and CMS and Medicare.gov now state that there is no limit to the number of times you can enroll in MDPP.

The paperwork hasn't fully caught up. The text of 42 CFR 410.79 still carries the old lifetime clause, and CMS's own eligibility checklist still lists not having had MDPP services before. So if you've been through MDPP in the past, don't rule yourself out, but ask the supplier to confirm you're eligible before your first session; CMS notes suppliers can check whether a previous supplier billed for your MDPP sessions.

What Does It Cost?

You pay nothing if you qualify. MDPP is a Medicare Part B preventive service, which means no Part B deductible or 20 percent coinsurance is owed, as long as the sessions come from a supplier enrolled in Medicare to furnish MDPP. Your cost for the full year is $0.,

Where to Find a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program in Georgia

MDPP is delivered only by organizations enrolled in Medicare as MDPP suppliers. A supplier may be a traditional health care provider or an organization such as a community center or a faith-based organization.

That enrollment is the thing to check. A diabetes prevention program can carry CDC recognition without being enrolled with Medicare as an MDPP supplier, and a program in that position is not this benefit. Before you sign up anywhere in Georgia, ask the organization directly whether it is a Medicare-enrolled MDPP supplier.

You may not need a supplier nearby. Through December 31, 2029, suppliers may run sessions in person or virtually through live distance learning, and from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2029 they may also offer asynchronous (non-live) online sessions, which can help in rural Georgia counties. Which formats you can choose depends on the supplier, and you can't mix them: the program is done entirely online, or entirely in person and through live distance learning.

To find a supplier, ask your primary care provider for a referral or start from Medicare.gov's MDPP page. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, contact the plan first, since you may have to use an in-network supplier.

How MDPP Fits With Your Other Diabetes Benefits

MDPP is one piece of Medicare's diabetes-related coverage. Several benefits connect to it:

  • Medicare diabetes screening. If you have the risk factors Medicare lists, it covers up to two screening tests a year at no cost. MDPP eligibility rests on a qualifying blood-sugar test in the past 12 months, so ask your doctor about a screening if you haven't had one.,
  • Your Annual Wellness Visit or Welcome to Medicare visit. You pay nothing for either visit, with the Part B deductible waived: the Welcome visit is available once within your first 12 months of Part B, and the yearly Wellness visit once every 12 months. Either is a natural time to ask about your diabetes risk.
  • Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). These are for people who already have a diabetes diagnosis, not prediabetes. If you progress to diabetes, DSMT covers up to 10 hours of initial training with a provider's order, and MNT covers nutrition therapy from a registered dietitian or qualified nutrition professional on your doctor's referral.
  • Intensive Behavioral Therapy for obesity. If your BMI is 30 or higher, Medicare Part B also covers obesity counseling under National Coverage Determination 210.12, with weekly visits the first month, every-other-week visits through month 6, and monthly visits in months 7 to 12 if you lose at least 3 kg (about 6.6 pounds) in the first six months. The counseling must come from a primary care provider in a primary care setting, such as a doctor's office, and costs nothing when the provider accepts assignment. Ask your primary care provider about it alongside MDPP.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Medicare cover diabetes prevention?

Yes. Medicare Part B covers the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), a year-long health behavior change program for people at risk of type 2 diabetes, and you pay nothing if you qualify.,

How much does MDPP cost in Georgia?

Nothing, if you qualify. MDPP is a Medicare Part B preventive service, so no Part B deductible or coinsurance is owed when the sessions come from a Medicare-enrolled MDPP supplier.,

Who is eligible for MDPP?

You generally need Medicare Part B, a BMI of 25 or higher on the date of your first core session (23 or higher if you self-identify as Asian), and a qualifying lab result in the past 12 months by A1C, fasting glucose, or an oral glucose tolerance test, with no previous diabetes diagnosis other than gestational diabetes and no end-stage renal disease.

Is MDPP still a once-per-lifetime benefit?

No. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 eliminated the once-per-lifetime limit, and CMS says there's no limit to the number of times you can enroll. Because the regulation's text still carries the old clause, ask the supplier to confirm your eligibility before you start if you've done MDPP before.

How many sessions does MDPP include?

Up to 16 core sessions in the first six months, offered at least a week apart, then up to 6 core maintenance sessions in months 7 to 12, offered at least a month apart. The covered program runs one year.

Can I do MDPP online?

Often, depending on the supplier. Through December 31, 2029, suppliers may offer live distance learning sessions, and they may also offer asynchronous (non-live) online sessions. You can't mix online sessions with the other formats, so you'd do the whole program online or the whole program in person and by live video.

What if I already have diabetes?

MDPP is for prediabetes, not diagnosed diabetes. If you have diabetes, ask about Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), which are covered for people with a diabetes diagnosis.

Does my Medicare Advantage plan cover MDPP?

Yes, but you may have to use an in-network supplier. Contact your plan first for its MDPP suppliers.

Where do I find an MDPP supplier?

Ask your primary care provider for a referral, start from Medicare.gov's MDPP page, or contact your Medicare Advantage plan if you have one. Confirm the organization is enrolled in Medicare as an MDPP supplier: a CDC-recognized program that isn't enrolled is not this benefit.

Resources for Georgia Beneficiaries

For free, unbiased help understanding your Medicare diabetes-prevention options, contact Georgia SHIP, Georgia's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, run by the Georgia Division of Aging Services (the state also lists it as GeorgiaCares SHIP). Its certified counselors don't sell insurance.

Medicare General Medicare questions and Medicare's MDPP coverage page. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)https://www.medicare.gov/talk-to-someone medicare.gov
Georgia SHIP (GeorgiaCares SHIP) Free, unbiased Medicare help from certified Georgia SHIP counselors. 1-866-552-4464, option 4 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)https://acl.gov/programs/connecting-people-services/state-health-insurance-assistance-program-ship aging.georgia.gov
CDC Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program Information on CDC-recognized diabetes prevention programs. CDC recognition alone doesn't make a program a Medicare MDPP supplier. cdc.gov

Learn More

MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Diabetes ScreeningGeorgia Medicare diabetes screening is free for at-risk beneficiaries, up to 2 tests a year at $0. See who qualifies, what it costs, and how to get one. MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Annual Wellness VisitMedicare's yearly Annual Wellness Visit is free for Georgia beneficiaries, but a new symptom can turn it into a bill. What it covers and how to keep it $0. MedicareMedicare Weight-Loss Counseling (Obesity Behavioral Therapy)Medicare Part B covers obesity behavioral therapy at $0 if your BMI is 30 or more and a primary care provider gives the counseling. Here's how it works. MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Diabetes Self-Management TrainingGeorgia Medicare covers Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT), Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), and the MDPP. See hours, who qualifies, and what you pay. MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Medical Nutrition TherapyMedicare covers medical nutrition therapy at $0 for Georgians with diabetes, qualifying kidney disease, or a kidney transplant in the past 36 months. MedicaidGeorgia Medicare Preventive ServicesMedicare covers most preventive care in Georgia at $0 with assignment. What is free, why a screening can become a bill, and how dual eligibles are protected. MedicaidGeorgia Medicaid GuideGeorgia Medicaid 2026: income and asset limits, the EDWP waiver (CCSP and SOURCE), Pathways to Coverage, Miller Trusts, estate recovery, and how to apply.

Find personalized help understanding your Georgia Medicare diabetes-prevention options at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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