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As if the worsening diabetes epidemic were not enough to worry about, this chronic condition also increases risk for complications like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. This is a major challenge for health plans managing the care of a growing population of Medicaid members, who tend to overutilize emergency rooms for routine or non-urgent care.

While preventive and disease management programs are helping improve outcomes for people with diabetes and other chronic conditions, more must be done beyond just phone outreach to adequately engage Medicaid members. For instance, the single mother with young children and no car doesn’t need a call to remind her of an A1C test; she needs help resolving socioeconomic barriers like lack of transportation or child care.