“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.
Congress.gov lists S.1925 as sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and cosponsored by Sen. Susan M. Collins. Latest action: 06/02/2025, read twice and referred to Senate Finance. The tracker says the bill has the status Introduced. The official title and summary state that it would improve Medicare access to diabetes outpatient self-management training services and test virtual training.
Congress.gov lists the House companion H.R.3826 with latest action 06/06/2025: referred to Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means. The tracker says the bill has the status Introduced. The bill text would amend title XVIII to improve access to diabetes outpatient self-management training services and test virtual training.
Congress.gov lists S.5502, the DIABETES Act, as introduced 12/12/2024, read twice and referred to Senate Finance. The tracker says the bill has the status Introduced. Collins is listed as a cosponsor on 12/12/2024.
S.5502 was introduced by Sen. Shaheen for herself and Sen. Collins. The text would require certification and guidance for continued access to diabetes technology under Medicare Part B, expand diabetes outpatient self-management training, establish insulin pump training and education codes, and require a proposed national coverage determination for insulin pumps.
CMS's current Medicare Coverage Database page for National Coverage Determination 280.14, Infusion Pumps, lists version 2 with effective date 12/17/2004 and states the NCD was last reviewed January 2005. The page continues to show existing CSII pump coverage criteria, including C-peptide/autoantibody requirements and quarterly physician evaluation.
Medicare.gov states Part B covers outpatient diabetes self-management training when eligible, but after the Part B deductible the beneficiary pays 20% of the Medicare-approved amount. It says training requires an order from a doctor or other provider and is limited to up to 10 hours of initial training and up to 2 hours of follow-up training each calendar year after the initial year.
Assessments
Collins materially advanced the promise through the DIABETES Act and related diabetes self-management training legislation, which closely matched the insulin-pump coverage and education/training goals. However, the relevant bills remained introduced or referred to committee and were not enacted, and current CMS/Medicare materials do not show the promised Medicare coverage streamlining or expanded training benefit having taken effect. This supports serious effort without delivered policy change.
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.