The Online Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program: How It Works From Home

In this article: 

• The National Diabetes Statistics Reports says that more than half of adults over age 60 have prediabetes, which is higher than normal blood sugar, but lower than in diabetes.
• The Diabetes Prevention Program has been shown to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through healthy lifestyle changes.  
• The Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is specifically designed for seniors. It’s a covered benefit for eligible Medicare beneficiaries. It’s a year-long program with a curriculum to support long-term, sustainable small changes that can help lower blood sugar. 
• In 2026, virtual or online MDPP are included in coverage for many Medicare recipients. That means you can participate in the program from anywhere you want, at any time.
• Lark offers a virtual MDPP that you can participate in with your smartphone. It’s available 24/7 for coaching, support, encouragement, and information. 

A diagnosis of prediabetes can be jarring, but it can also be a wake-up call. Having prediabetes, or high blood sugar, means that your body has insulin resistance, but that the condition isn’t yet full-blown diabetes. Even though many people assume that they’ll get diabetes if they have prediabetes, that’s not always true - even for seniors. 

The truth is that you can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. All it takes is a moderate amount of weight loss if you’re overweight, and an increase in physical activity levels. That’s it. With small, sustainable changes in your daily routine, you can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next few years by over half. 

If you’re a Medicare Part B or Medicare Advantage enrollee, you may be eligible to join a national diabetes prevention program online at no cost to you. Not only can you participate without a doctor’s referral, but in 2026, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) cover qualifying online Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) programs, too. Here’s what you should know about how the MDPP works from home.

Why Consider an Online Diabetes Prevention Program for Seniors?

Though over half of seniors have prediabetes, only about 20% - 1 in 5 individuals - know that they have it. If you’re aware of having high fasting blood sugar, high A1C, or impaired glucose tolerance, you’re one of the few who has advanced notice - and a chance to change the course of your insulin resistance. 

The Diabetes Prevention Program is based on lifestyle changes. With goals of 5-7% weight loss and achieving at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity, participants in a DPP can expect to reduce risk of developing diabetes in the next 3 years by over 50%. With continued lifestyle changes, the benefits continue. 

It can be hard to make lifestyle changes on your own, but participating in a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) can help. It’s a structured, year-long program with support from a coach. Lark MDPP is an online diabetes prevention program that lets you participate from home via your smartphone, while still receiving the care and support you would in an in-person program.

Benefits of an Online Program - Even If You’re Not Tech-Savvy

You may worry that an online diabetes prevention program can’t work for seniors if you’re not tech-savvy. Or you might think that an MDPP online might be cold and unsupportive. But that’s not true - and thinking about the benefits may convince you that an online program like Lark MDPP is right for you. 

With Lark MDPP, you don’t need to be tech-savvy. You just need to have a smartphone and be able to use an app. Log in and talk to your coach! Your Lark digital coach is friendly, encouraging, and knowledgeable - and ready to hold you accountable. It’s backed by experts at Lark to make sure you get a warm, personalized experience.  

An online diabetes prevention program has many potential benefits, such as these. 

• Ability to go through the program from your home or anywhere else that you use your phone. You don’t need to commute.
• Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a digital coach instead of being in person - there’s no judgement with Lark MDPP!
• Lark’s always available for you. You don’t have to worry about making it to sessions scheduled at specific times - which may be during your work hours or when you’re supposed to be caregiving. Just check in with your Lark coach when you can. 
• You can use Lark for as long or short as the time you have. Just have a minute or two for a check-in? That’s fine - there’s no need to set aside a solid hour to listen to a boring lecture. 
• Content is in digestible chunks so you can absorb it and get more from it.

In addition, the MDPP includes live help when you need it. There’s the chance to talk to a live coach if you have questions!

Eligibility and Enrollment in an Online Diabetes Prevention Program for Seniors

After a quick eligibility check, you can get started with enrollment. Eligibility criteria include being enrolled in Medicare Advantage (Part C) or Medicare Part B, having a blood sugar or A1C test that puts you in the prediabetes range, and having a body mass index (BMI) that’s overweight or obese, or at least 25 (or at least 23 if you’re Asian). 

Then, when you first log into Lark MDPP, you can get to know your Lark coach - and your Lark coach can get to know you. You and your Lark coach can set your weight goals and get a baseline for your regular physical activity levels. You might get a few screener and survey questions when you start your online diabetes prevention program. The more your coach knows about you, the better your coach can help you. 

Moving Through a National Diabetes Prevention Program Online for Seniors

The MDPP is a structured program divided into sessions. Each session has some standard components. 

• A weigh-in. In an online diabetes prevention program for seniors, you can weigh in at home, such as on a connected scale that transmits your weight automatically to your digital coach.
• Going over your physical activity log. Make sure you log your workouts, add your steps to your activity log, and sync devices like a Fit or smart watch with your digital MDPP coach.
• Learning about a topic. In Lark, your online MDPP curriculum is delivered in smaller chunks instead of big lectures. You can learn about a topic in minutes a day, and gather the information you need to make smart decisions and remember important information for your lifestyle. 
• You’ll also have the chance to ask questions to a life coach, even if you’re in a Medicare diabetes prevention program online. 

The curriculum comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It includes practical information and realistic tips for daily lifestyle changes. You can learn about topics like carbohydrates, heart-healthy eating, physical activity for busy people, and best foods to choose when grocery shopping. Topics in the later part of the program focus on keeping up your healthy choices for the long-term, and how to overcome plateaus or setbacks when they happen. 

Can You Afford Diabetes Prevention? CMS Covers Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program as a Benefit

The MDPP is a covered benefit for eligible Medicare members. There aren’t hidden fees or additional costs. It’s a preventive service - designed to help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes - and that means it’s offered at no cost if you’re eligible. You don’t even have to reach a deductible or shell out a co-pay. 

Since it takes only a minute to see if you qualify, and enrolling is simple and doesn’t require a doctor’s referral, give it a chance. It could be a life-changing decision that improves health and quality of life for the long term. 

See If You Qualify at No Cost to You

Lark's Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program offers personal health coaching delivered right to your phone - built around the same CDC-recognized program that showed a 71% risk reduction in adults over 60. There is no cost to eligible Medicare members. 

Lark can help you stay on track with your weight and health goals as you log, track, and chat. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark MDPP or another Lark program today!