Rendr Physician Joins Rally to Lower Diabetes Screening Threshold for Asian Americans
New York State Senator John Liu, along with physicians, patients, and community organizations, gathered in Flushing on August 18 to urge Governor Kathy Hochul to sign legislation that would lower the BMI threshold for insurance-covered diabetes screening for Asian Americans. The bill has passed both the New York State Senate and Assembly and is awaiting the governor’s signature.
Sponsored by Senator Liu and Assemblymember Ron Kim, S634B/A1206B recognizes that Asian Americans are more likely to get type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI. Under the legislation, insurers would be required to cover diabetes screening for Asian Americans with a BMI of 23 or above, compared with the BMI threshold of 25 commonly used for the general population.
Recent studies indicate approximately 800,000 adults in New York City are living with diabetes, including 13 percent of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. More than half of Asian Americans with type 2 diabetes are estimated to remain undiagnosed. The American Diabetes Association and other health organizations recommend considering diabetes screening for Asian American and Pacific Islander adults beginning at a BMI of 23.
If signed into law, the legislation would also broaden screening coverage for other individuals at increased risk, including adults age 35 and older and those with a family history of diabetes or high cholesterol. It would eliminate deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance for covered diabetes screenings, helping reduce financial barriers to early detection.
Dr. Helen Chen, a Family Medicine Physician at Rendr, shared the case of a 28-year-old Chinese patient whose BMI was below 25. Despite not meeting the standard BMI threshold for screening, the patient had a family history of diabetes and symptoms including increased thirst and weight loss. An HbA1c test ultimately led to a diabetes diagnosis.
Dr. Chen emphasized that lowering the BMI threshold from 25 to 23 for Asian Americans could help identify more at-risk patients earlier. Research shows that the change could improve the sensitivity of diabetes and prediabetes detection by 24%, creating more opportunities for early intervention and reducing the risk of serious complications.