The Treatment of Type II Diabetes in Texas: Current issues for managed care and employers

In 1995, a forum was held in Dallas, Texas, to discuss the current state of treatment for type II diabetes and the issues facing managed care organizations (MCOs) and employers. Attendees included representatives from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), diabetologists, medical directors from leading MCOs in the area, benefits managers and employee representatives from large corporations in the region, diabetes educators, and a range of health care personnel directly involved in the care and treatment of patients with type II diabetes. The objectives of the forum were to discuss the state of diabetes treatment from the perspectives of MCOs and employers, to create a better understanding of the issues in treating diabetic patients, and to reach a consensus on the standards of care and the treatment guidelines for managed care patients with diabetes. Several needs were agreed on and identified by the attendees, including the need to develop minimum standards of care for the management of diabetes care, to improve patient and physician education programs and the communication between MCOs and employers, to acquire more sophisticated outcomes data, to pursue aggressive treatment of hyperglycemia, to increase emphasis on managing care to achieve long-term cost savings, and to stress greater patient responsibility for their own care.