Managing and preventing diabetes

We can help you live your best life with diabetes

You may have diabetes or high blood sugar, or you may be at risk for developing diabetes. Whatever your current health situation may be, it’s important to take good care of yourself now to help prevent serious health conditions later.

That’s why we offer many free health and wellness programs to help you with everything from managing diet and physical activity to taking control of stress and anxiety. We can work with you to find the programs that are right for you.

Jump to a section:

• Diabetes medication highlights
• Review your medications from home with a UPMC pharmacist
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
• Your personal health care team
• Diabetes Prevention Program
• Feel your best with healthy eating
• Exercise can shape your health

Diabetes medication highlights

Available to our UPMC for Life members:

$0 diabetes medications on Tier 2

Many plans offer a $0 copay for covered diabetes medications on Tier 2 when you use a preferred retail or preferred mail-order pharmacy. See your plan's formulary for more information.

$0 copay for preferred diabetes test strips

You have a $0 copay for Lifescan diabetes testing strips, such as OneTouch Verio or OneTouch Ultra. Talk with your doctor to see if these test strips are right for you. Your doctor will need to write you a prescription.

Coverage for insulin

Covered insulins have a maximum $35 copay for each one-month supply. This means you will not pay more than $35 for a 30-day supply or more than $105 for a 100-day supply. These copays apply through the deductible (if applicable) and initial coverage stages in 2025. You won’t pay anything once you reach the catastrophic coverage stage. See your plan Evidence of Coverage for more information. 

Copays for covered insulins are:

• $35 for a 30-day supply filled at a retail pharmacy.
• $87.50 for a 100-day supply filled at a preferred mail-order pharmacy.
• $96.25 for a 100-day supply filled at a preferred retail pharmacy.
• $105 for a 100-day supply filled at a standard pharmacy.

Our network includes preferred retail pharmacies, standard retail pharmacies, and our preferred mail-order pharmacy, Express Scripts Inc. Learn more about these options for filling your prescriptions.

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Review your medications from home with a UPMC pharmacist

As a member, you can schedule an online video appointment with a licensed pharmacist at no cost through UPMC AnywhereCare.* Your pharmacist will go over each of your medications and answer any questions you may have face-to-face with you.

*UPMC for Life members who are in Pennsylvania at the time of a virtual visit may select a UPMC-employed provider, subject to availability and discretion of the provider. Members located outside of Pennsylvania at the time of service or those who select Talk Therapy or Psychiatry services will receive care from a provider employed or contracted by Online Care Network II PC (OCN), also known as Amwell Medical Group. OCN is not an affiliate of UPMC. Providers are not available to treat members who are in Puerto Rico.

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Medicare Prescription Payment Plan

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, Medicare Part D members with high prescription drug costs can get help with their payments through the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This new payment option allows you to spread your prescription drug costs across monthly payments throughout the year instead of paying them up front at the pharmacy. Only certain members with high out-of-pocket drug costs will likely benefit from this program. Learn more about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.

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Your personal health care team

Improving your health isn’t always easy. You may understand the benefits of eating healthy, staying active, reducing stress, and taking your medications. But you may not know how to do these things in a way that’s best for you. As a member, you have access to our team of health coaches, care managers, and personal counselors. Together, we can help you understand your health and how you can improve it. Learn about how each member of our care team can help.

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Diabetes Prevention Program

Adopt healthier habits and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes with the Diabetes Prevention Program. This program is free to UPMC for Life members!

This program:

• Meets national quality standards and requirements set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Teaches you how to eat healthy, stay active, reduce stress, and build skills that can help you prevent type 2 diabetes.
• Offers you personalized support from a health coach so you can develop an action plan and meet your specific health goals. You and the other members of the group will be able to share ideas, motivate, and support each other.

You’ll need to meet certain criteria to sign up for this program. To learn more, call toll-free 1-855-395-8762 (TTY: 711) Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Or complete this online form and a health coach will reach out to you.

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Feel your best with healthy eating

Eating the right food can give you more energy, make your brain sharper, and improve your mood. Plant-forward diets are a great way to achieve this. They are even known to help treat and prevent certain health conditions, like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer.

What does a plant-forward diet consist of?

A plant-forward diet is exactly how it sounds. It’s a way of eating that mostly consists of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. Other things to consider with a plant-forward diet:

• Make meat or seafood a side rather than the main dish. You can still get your needed protein from plant-forward foods.
• Watch your intake of sweets. Fruit is an excellent choice to satisfy this craving.
• Just like with any diet, make sure you’re staying hydrated! Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water each day.

You’ll want to talk to your doctor about what you should and should not eat based on your personal health needs. Your doctor or a health coach can even help you create a plan to improve your nutrition and stick to healthy habits.

Looking for quick and easy healthy recipes?

Stovetop Veggie Frittata
Chickpea and Veggie Grain Bowl
Massaged Kale Salad with Grapes and Cheddar

You can find more healthy recipes at UPMC MyHealth Matters.

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Exercise can shape your health

Not only can exercise shape your body, but it can also shape your overall health. We encourage you to talk to your doctor or health coach about the type of exercises you should be doing and how much time you should spend exercising each week.

Here are some benefits of exercising:

• It lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol.
• It reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke.
• It burns calories to help you reach or maintain a healthy weight.
• It helps to relieve stress and ease signs of depression.
• It improves your balance to help you avoid falls.

Tips for being safe when you exercise: 

• Stretch before and after you exercise to prevent an injury.
• Pay attention to your surroundings so you don’t trip or fall.
• Stay hydrated and carry snacks with you. Your blood sugar may drop while you are exercising.
• Use the right footwear and equipment.
• Pay attention to your body. If you notice that you’re having trouble exercising, talk to your doctor.

The SilverSneakers® fitness program makes it easy to stay active in the way that works best for you. This program is free for our UPMC for Life members. Learn more about Silversneakers.

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