If a doctor has told you that you have prediabetes, Medicare covers a year-long program that can help you avoid type 2 diabetes, and if you qualify, it costs you nothing. It's called the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program, or MDPP for short.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- What Is the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program?
- Who Qualifies for the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program?
- What Does the MDPP Cost?
- How to Join a Diabetes Prevention Program
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
What Is the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program?
The MDPP isn't a pill or a procedure. It's a class, really, and a pretty practical one. Medicare Part B covers it as a preventive behavior-change program for people at risk of type 2 diabetes, and it follows the curriculum the CDC built around the things that actually move the needle: healthier eating, more physical activity, and a modest amount of weight loss.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 410.79 — Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model. ecfr.gov. Retrieved Jul 10, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-410.79
Here's the shape of it. According to Medicare.gov, the program starts with 16 sessions offered weekly in a group setting over about 6 months. After that, you move into 6 monthly follow-up sessions to help the new habits stick.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 410.79 — Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model. ecfr.gov. Retrieved Jul 10, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-410.79 So all in, you're looking at roughly a year of support, with a trained coach and a small group going through the same thing you are.
The point isn't to lecture you. It's to give someone with prediabetes a real, structured shot at not crossing over into type 2 diabetes, which is a lot easier to prevent than to reverse.
Who Qualifies for the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program?
This is the part worth reading closely, because the MDPP has a specific eligibility gate. You have to meet all of it, not just some. Under Medicare's rules (42 CFR 410.79), on the day of your first session you need to be:U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 410.79 — Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model. ecfr.gov. Retrieved Jul 10, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-410.79
- Enrolled in Medicare Part B.
- At a body mass index of at least 25, or at least 23 if you self-identify as Asian.
- Carrying a recent prediabetes reading. Within the past 12 months, you need one of these three: a hemoglobin A1c of 5.7 to 6.4 percent, a fasting plasma glucose of 110 to 125 mg/dL, or a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test of 140 to 199 mg/dL.
- Without a previous diabetes diagnosis, other than gestational diabetes (the kind that can show up during pregnancy).
- Without end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
That last pair trips people up, so it's worth being plain about it: the program is for people who are at risk of type 2 diabetes, not people who already have it. If you've already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, this particular benefit isn't the one for you, though Medicare covers other diabetes services separately.
One thing to double-check on the blood test: if you're not sure whether you've had a qualifying A1c or glucose reading in the last year, that's a quick thing to check with your doctor before you try to enroll. The reading has to be recent, and it has to fall in those bands.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 410.79 — Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model. ecfr.gov. Retrieved Jul 10, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-410.79
What Does the MDPP Cost?
Nothing, if you qualify. That's the whole headline. A beneficiary who meets the eligibility rules pays $0 for the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program: no deductible, no coinsurance, no per-session fee.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 410.79 — Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model. ecfr.gov. Retrieved Jul 10, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-410.79
To see why that's a genuinely good deal, compare it to how most Part B services work. Normally you'd first pay the annual Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026, and then 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount as coinsurance.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Jun 22, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles The MDPP skips all of that. As a covered preventive benefit, it doesn't cost you anything out of pocket. So the only thing it really costs you is your time and your willingness to show up.
How to Join a Diabetes Prevention Program
Start with your doctor. Ask two things: whether your recent bloodwork shows prediabetes in the qualifying range, and whether you meet the rest of the eligibility rules above. If you haven't had an A1c or glucose test in the past year, this is a good reason to get one, since the reading has to be recent to count.U.S. Government Publishing Office. (n.d.). 42 CFR 410.79 — Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model. ecfr.gov. Retrieved Jul 10, 2026, from https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-410.79 Prediabetes often gets flagged at a routine checkup or a Medicare wellness visit, so it may already be in your chart.
Once you know you qualify, you'll need a Medicare-recognized MDPP supplier, which is the organization that actually runs the sessions. Medicare.gov's MDPP coverage page is the place to find one and to confirm the current details. The sessions can be in person or, in many cases, offered virtually, so ask what's available near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicare cover the diabetes prevention program?
Yes. Medicare Part B covers the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), a structured lifestyle-change program for people at risk of type 2 diabetes. If you meet the eligibility rules, you pay nothing for it.
How much does the MDPP cost?
$0, if you qualify. Because the MDPP is a covered preventive benefit, it's exempt from the deductible and coinsurance that apply to most other Part B services (the Part B deductible is $283 in 2026, with 20 percent coinsurance on top).
Who qualifies for the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program?
On the day of your first session you need to be enrolled in Part B, have a body mass index of at least 25 (23 if you're Asian), and have a prediabetes reading from the past 12 months (an A1c of 5.7 to 6.4 percent, a fasting glucose of 110 to 125 mg/dL, or a 2-hour glucose tolerance test of 140 to 199 mg/dL). You also can't have a previous diabetes diagnosis other than gestational, and you can't have end-stage renal disease.
How long does the program last?
About a year. It opens with 16 weekly group sessions over roughly 6 months, then continues with 6 monthly follow-up sessions to help the changes hold.
I already have type 2 diabetes. Can I join?
No. The MDPP is a prevention program, so a previous type 2 diabetes diagnosis makes you ineligible for this specific benefit. Medicare covers other diabetes care separately, which our guide to Medicare and diabetes walks through.
Learn More
Find personalized help figuring out whether you qualify for the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program 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.