Racial Gaps in Diabetes Adherence Persist Within Medicare Advantage Plans

This national cohort quantifies how much of the Black-White and Hispanic-White gap in diabetes medication adherence occurs within the same plan and how far low-income subsidies close it, giving ambulatory care and Medication Therapy Management (MTM) pharmacists a concrete target for equity-focused outreach.

metformininsulinSGLT2 inhibitorsGLP-1 receptor agonistsdiabetesmedication adherencehealth disparitiesMedicare AdvantageLow-Income SubsidyMedicaidproportion of days coveredcohort studyhealth policyMTM Ambulatory Care / MTM

Background Information

Medication adherence in diabetes shows racial and ethnic disparities.

Medication adherence is crucial in managing diabetes, yet disparities in adherence may lead to adverse outcomes in racial and ethnic minority groups. Black and Hispanic patients demonstrated lower adherence to diabetes medications compared to White patients, with Medicaid and subsidies partially reducing these gaps. Findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address adherence disparities, highlighting the potential role of Medicaid and community strategies. Enhanced insurance and community strategies are critical to reducing racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes medication adherence.

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Authors: Essien UR, Roberts ET, Ruggiero DA, Tang JJ, Raghava S, Ayanian JZ, Tipirneni R

Citation: Essien UR, Roberts ET, Ruggiero DA, et al. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Medication Adherence Among Medicare Advantage Enrollees With Diabetes. JAMA network open. 2026;9(9):e2634846. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.34846

Article Links: PubMed · Journal / DOI

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