Written and medically reviewed by Dorcas Morak, Pharm.D
Every November, American Diabetes Month highlights how you can prevent, detect early, and manage diabetes daily. In 2025, you have sharper tools: expanded therapy access, personalized technology like CGMs and smart insulin management, and reduced cost barriers to staying on treatment. With strong clinical guidance, community education, and affordability tools to compare real-time prices nationwide, you are empowered to prioritize adherence and outcomes.
How Common Is Diabetes Right Now?
Diabetes remains widespread in the U.S., but knowing your risk and taking proactive steps can make a difference. According to the CDC’s National Diabetes Statistics Report, about 38.4 million people (˜11.6% of the population) are living with diabetes—29.7 million diagnosed and 8.7 million undiagnosed. Among adults 18+, the prevalence is roughly 14.7%, while prediabetes affects ~97.6 million adults (˜38%). Incidence keeps climbing, with ~1.2 million new cases each year, and certain states—such as West Virginia and Mississippi—report higher rates. Screening and early intervention empower individuals, especially those at risk, to act early.
What’s New in Diabetes Medications?
Treatment choices continue to expand, especially for type 2 diabetes:
- GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide (Ozempic, Rybelsus), tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) improve A1C and weight management. Oral options such as Rybelsus offer alternatives for those preferring pills.
- SGLT2 inhibitors—dapagliflozin (Farxiga), empagliflozin (Jardiance), ertugliflozin (Steglatro)—help control glucose and protect kidney and heart health.
- Combination therapies reduce pill burden by combining dual mechanisms, such as Xigduo XR (dapagliflozin + metformin) and Steglujan (ertugliflozin + sitagliptin).
- Newer basal insulins, including insulin degludec (Tresiba) and insulin glargine (Lantus, Basaglar, Semglee), offer stable profiles and flexible dosing for type 1 or insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes.
- Next-gen oral incretins and multi-agonists, such as orforglipron (in late-stage clinical trials), may expand future options.
How to Manage Diabetes Effectively?
Diabetes care works best when it’s personalized. Core pillars include:
- Medication adherence: Take medicines as prescribed and revisit your regimen at least twice a year.
- Nutrition: Emphasize fiber, non-starchy vegetables, and plant-forward proteins.
- Physical activity: Aim for at least 150 minutes/week of moderate activity plus resistance training.
- Monitoring: Use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) such as Dexcom G7 or FreeStyle Libre 3, or structured finger sticks for consistent tracking.
- Clinical care: Check in regularly with your clinician, pharmacist, diabetes educator, and dietitian—especially when starting a GLP-1 or SGLT2, adjusting insulin, or preparing for travel.
- Cardiovascular health: Manage blood pressure and cholesterol (often with statins and ACE inhibitors) to lower heart disease risk.
Are there Ways to Prevent Diabetes?
With about 97.6 million U.S. adults in the prediabetes range, prevention is a national priority. Proven strategies include:
- Weight loss: Losing 5–10% of body weight.
- Exercise: Increasing physical activity to at least 150 minutes/week.
- Diet: Adopting higher-fiber, lower-refined-carb eating patterns.
- Medication: In high-risk cases, clinicians may recommend metformin to lower diabetes risk when lifestyle changes are not enough.
What Are the Ways to Make Diabetes Medications More Affordable?
Affordability should never hold you back from better health. Use the following strategies to confidently protect your budget and comply with your medications:
- Use the RxLess® Assurance Plan: The Real-Time Price Finder shows prices at 70,000+ pharmacies and provides a free digital coupon (no enrollment required) to save up to 88% on many medications. Generics like metformin, glipizide, pioglitazone often see the deepest discounts, while even brand-name medications such as Ozempic, Jardiance, Tresiba may have 10–20% reductions from cash prices.
- Ask about 90-day supplies: For maintenance medications (e.g., metformin, lisinopril, atorvastatin), larger fills may reduce per-dose costs; use day-supply filters to compare accurately.
- Explore patient assistance programs: Manufacturer copay programs and charitable funds can lower costs for eligible patients—especially for costly injectables such as Mounjaro, Ozempic, Trulicity.
