“Our bipartisan legislation would streamline coverage for insulin pumps while expanding diabetes education and training for patients and providers, improving care for those managing this disease.”
Streamline Medicare coverage for insulin pumps and expand diabetes education and training for patients and providers.
Occurrences
Senators Collins, Shaheen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Access to Diabetes Treatments, Education for Medicare Beneficiaries
Senators Collins and Shaheen also introduced the Expanding Access to Diabetes Self-Management Training Act to expand Medicare coverage for diabetes self-management training (DSMT) sessions...
The bill builds on previous efforts to improve Medicare coverage for DSMT services delivered by certified diabetes educators—ensuring beneficiaries have access to hands-on support for managing their condition and using advanced technologies such as pumps and CGMs. ... The bill seeks to ensure that individuals transitioning into Medicare do not face interruptions in their diabetes treatment or device access during the switch from commercial insurance to Medicare.
The legislation would also streamline Medicare coverage for insulin pumps and require the government to expand diabetes education.
Evidence
Sen. Collins said, “This bipartisan legislation would streamline coverage for insulin pumps and expand education and training for patients and providers, improving care for individuals managing diabetes.”
Congress.gov lists S.5502 as introduced in the Senate on 12/12/2024, with the latest action being referral to the Senate Finance Committee and the bill status remaining “Introduced.”
The bill text says it was introduced in the Senate and would amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to diabetes outpatient self-management training services and require CMMI to test virtual training services.
Assessments
Collins materially advanced the promise by introducing bipartisan legislation in December 2024 to streamline Medicare coverage for insulin pumps and expand diabetes education/training, and she continued related diabetes self-management training legislation in the 119th Congress. However, the core promised outcome does not appear to have been enacted or implemented: S.5502 remained introduced and referred to committee in the 118th Congress, and S.1925 likewise remained introduced rather than becoming law. Because there was a serious legislative attempt but no delivered policy outcome, this should be scored as never with an effort badge.
Collins introduced and promoted bipartisan legislation in December 2024 that directly matched the promise to streamline Medicare insulin pump coverage and expand diabetes education and training, and she continued related diabetes self-management training legislation in 2025. However, the cited bills remained introduced or referred to committee and were not enacted, so the promised policy outcome was not delivered. The serious legislative attempt warrants an effort badge, but not partial or full delivery because there is no enacted implementation shown.