CalPERS to offer Diabetes Prevention Program Starting Jan 1, 2017

Beginning January 1, 2017, all CalPERS health plans will offer a diabetes prevention program (DPP) at no cost to eligible members. 

The CalPERS Diabetes Prevention Program is designed to slow and prevent type 2 diabetes among CalPERS members who have prediabetes - a condition in which a person's blood sugar level is higher than normal but not yet high enough for the individual to be considered diabetic. 

The DPP curriculum promotes realistic lifestyle changes, emphasizing weight loss through exercise, healthy eating, and behavior modification. Sessions are led by trained lifestyle coaches who will empower you to take charge of your health and focus on lasting results.

Program benefits include: 

• Improved nutrition
• Increased physical activity
• Motivation to sustain behavior changes
• Peer support
• Stress management

The program lasts one year and consists of 16 sessions over the first six months and at least one session a month for the next six months. You can choose in-person, online, or a combination of both types of sessions.

How to Participate

Step 1: Get tested.

Early diagnosis is important. Prediabetes can often be reversed through lifestyle and diet changes, but if left untreated it may develop into type 2 diabetes. To find out if you may be prediabetic, ask your primary care physician to order bloodwork for you. 

Step 2: Confirm your eligibility. 

To participate in the program, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a body mass index (BMI) of at least 24 (22 if Asian)
• Have no previous diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes
• Have received a blood test result in the prediabetes range in the past year, or have been previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes (diabetes or high blood sugar when pregnant)

You cannot participate in the program if you:

• Are pregnant
• Have already been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes

Step 3: Enroll in the program.

If you meet the eligibility criteria, contact your CalPERS health plan to participate in the diabetes prevention program.

To learn more about diabetes prevention and find out if you're at risk of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Diabetes Prevention Program. For additional information on the CalPERS Diabetes Prevention Program, contact your health plan.

https://www.calpers.ca.gov/page/education-center/member-education/diabetes-prevention