The Association between Medicare Annual Wellness Visits and diabetes outcomes among older adults

Abstract

AbstractThe rising prevalence of diabetes among older adults is an increasing concern in the United States and is expected to nearly triple within the next 40 years. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the utilization of Medicare Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) is associated with changes in type 2 diabetes (T2D) outcomes among older adults Medicare beneficiaries. We conducted an observational retrospective cohort study to compare the T2D outcomes between those who attended AWVs and those who did not from 2017 to 2019. The criteria used for this study include having at least two readings (hemoglobin A1c [A1c] levels, glucose levels, and the number of T2D medications), and for the AWV cohort, the AWVs had to occur between those readings. A total of 508 (2%) Medicare beneficiaries fit our selection criteria. Only 154 (30%) of these patients with T2D participated in AWVs. At baseline, the AWV cohort had lower A1c levels and fewer comorbidities than the non‐AWV cohort. No other statistically significant findings were found. These findings indicate that providers did not utilize AWVs on the more complicated patients, who may need it the most.