HHS wants everyone in a wearable, but a glucose sensor fits fewer people

Key takeaways

• In June 2025, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he wanted every American wearing a wearable within four years, and said HHS planned a major ad campaign for devices such as glucose sensors.
• A 2024 review of 25 trials found that glucose-sensor feedback lowered A1C by about 0.28 points, mostly in type 2 diabetes; only three trials studied people without diabetes, and 11 reported ties to sensor companies.
• The American Diabetes Association’s 2026 Standards recommend sensors for many people with diabetes but make no recommendation for people with prediabetes or without diabetes.
• Over-the-counter sensors cost about $85 to $99 a month on a 2026 price list from a diabetes-educator course, and Medicare covers sensors only for people with diabetes who use insulin or have had problem lows.
• For most people, a lab A1C test or a year-long lifestyle program is a better first step; if food tracking has ever made eating stressful, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline is 1-866-662-1235.

On June 24, 2025, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sat before a House health subcommittee and set a goal for the country. “My vision is that every American is wearing a wearable within four years,” he said¹.

He told lawmakers that HHS planned one of the biggest ad campaigns in its history to promote devices that track things such as heart rate and blood sugar¹. That afternoon, shares of Abbott and Dexcom, the two makers of over-the-counter glucose sensors, rose 3.6% and 10%¹².

The pitch is simple. Stick a sensor on your arm, watch your glucose, and change your habits.

The evidence is thinner. A 2024 review pooled 25 randomized trials, where chance decides who gets what, that tested sensors as a habit-change tool. Only three trials included people without diabetes, and none included people with prediabetes³.

Our earlier sensor article explains how they read in healthy people. This one helps you decide whether a sensor fits you, what it costs and when it backfires.

A four-year goal, with money and data at stake

Kennedy said wearables show people how food affects their glucose and heart rate, and tied them to his Make America Healthy Again agenda⁴. He compared an “$80 wearable” with Ozempic, which he said costs about $1,300 a month, and said HHS was exploring ways to help pay for wearables¹.

Wall Street was cautious. A J.P. Morgan analyst said it was too early to read the remark as a signal that Medicare or private insurers would pay for sensors for more people¹.

ABC News noted two connections⁴:

• Casey means, then the nominee for surgeon general, co-founded Levels, an app that tracks glucose alongside sleep and diet.
• Calley means, described as a Kennedy adviser, runs TruMed, a company that helps people spend health savings account money on products such as fitness trackers.

ABC said it was unclear whether those ties shaped Kennedy’s support for wearables⁴. Natural-health readers often ask who profits from a drug. The same question fits a device.

Experts ABC interviewed had mixed views. A Northwestern University researcher said wearables can motivate change. David McManus of UMass Chan Medical School said he wouldn’t claim convincing evidence that they prevent heart attacks, and warned that more data means more risk⁴. A 2019 commentary in JAMA warned that insurers could use wearable data to raise premiums or deny coverage⁴.

The trials so far are small, short and often company-linked

The broadest summary comes from Richardson and colleagues, writing in 2024 in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. They pooled 25 trials with 2,996 people³. Seventeen of the trials were in type 2 diabetes, and the typical trial lasted 15 weeks³.

Sensor feedback lowered A1C, a blood test of long-term blood sugar, by 0.28 points on average³. That’s a little over a quarter of a point, just under the 0.3-point drop the FDA counts as clinically meaningful, as the authors note³. Weight fell about 0.7 kilograms (about 1.5 pounds, by our math), a difference that could have been chance³.

Funding matters here. Eleven of the 25 trials reported ties to sensor makers such as Abbott, Dexcom and Medtronic³. Three of the review’s own authors listed consulting ties: to WeightWatchers, formerly to the nutrition company Zoe, and, unpaid, to Viocare³.

Two newer trials tested sensors in prediabetes:

• George Mason university, 2024. Thirty adults with prediabetes and overweight or obesity got personal nutrition advice and wore a sensor for 30 days. Only half could see their readings; the rest were blinded until the end⁵. In the published paper, the see-your-data group’s average glucose fell and its time in range rose, while the blinded group’s changes weren’t significant. The authors’ preprint puts the shifts at about 129 to 122 mg/dL, and 71% to 80% of the day between 70 and 140⁵. A1C wasn’t rechecked, and the study had no outside funding⁵.
• University of Colorado, 2025. Adults with an A1C of 6.0% to 6.4% got a 6.5-week self-guided program with a guidebook, three phone calls, text prompts, an Abbott sensor and a Fitbit⁶. The program missed its main goal, but A1C and glucose swings improved compared with routine care⁶. We found it only as a conference abstract, without the number of participants or a funding statement⁶.

In both trials the sensor came bundled with diet advice or coaching. George Mason’s design did isolate the effect of seeing the data, but only on top of personal diet advice and only for a month⁵. The 2024 review found the same bundling in every trial it pooled³.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) drew its line in its 2026 Standards of Care. For people with diabetes, it recommends sensors from diagnosis onward for anyone on insulin, on other drugs that can cause lows, or on any treatment where a sensor helps²⁷. It makes no sensor recommendation for prediabetes or for people without diabetes⁷.

The ADA’s technology section also lists the two over-the-counter sensors as options for people with prediabetes or without diabetes who want to see how their glucose responds to daily habits. That use carries no evidence grade, according to a summary of the Standards by Close Concerns, a firm that analyzes the diabetes industry².

Can glucose swings predict diabetes? Two Spanish studies take a first look

A popular claim says today’s spikes forecast tomorrow’s diabetes. Two 2025 studies from Spain put that to a first test by following people for years.

In the first, 497 adults without diabetes wore a sensor for six days and were followed for six years⁸. Twenty-five developed diabetes⁸. Their glucose had swung more at the start. Their standard deviation, a measure of how far readings stray from the average, was 18 mg/dL, compared with 13 in everyone else⁸.

A cutoff of about 15 mg/dL caught 80% of future cases but also flagged 28% of people who stayed well⁸. By our math, that means roughly 152 people flagged, of whom about 20 developed diabetes: about 1 in 8. Five of the 25 future cases slipped through.

There’s a bigger catch. The people who developed diabetes already had higher A1C and fasting glucose at the start. The study’s summary didn’t report whether the sensor added anything beyond those standard tests⁸.

The second study followed 513 adults for a median of 10.8 years. Forty-two developed diabetes, about 8 in 100 by our math⁹. Risk separated most clearly when glucose sat at 130 mg/dL or higher for more than 10% of the time over at least two days⁹. People who developed diabetes were also older and had a higher body mass index at the start⁹.

Neither study listed sensor-company funding. One was paid for by a laboratory medicine society and a foundation; the other by Spanish public and European Union grants, including an EU project named GLUCOTYPES⁸⁹. The idea is promising. But each cutoff comes from a single study, and the ADA doesn’t use sensor readings to diagnose diabetes⁷.

What a sensor costs, and who pays

When Dexcom’s Stelo launched in 2024, it cost $99 for two 15-day sensors, about a month’s supply, or $89 a month by subscription¹⁰. It was eligible for health savings and flexible spending accounts, and insurance didn’t cover it¹⁰.

Prices have shifted since. Slides from a 2026 training course for diabetes educators, posted in April, listed these¹¹:

Option	Listed price (2026)	Who usually pays
Stelo, 1 sensor (about 15 days)	$49	You
Stelo, 2 sensors (about a month)	$89	You
Stelo, 6 sensors	$249	You
Abbott Lingo	$99 a month, or $85 to $89 with a subscription	You
Prescription sensor, Medicare	20% of the approved amount after the Part B deductible	Medicare, if you qualify12

Kennedy’s “$80 wearable” line didn’t say how often you’d pay¹. At $89 a month, a year of Stelo runs $1,068, by our math.

Medicare covers a sensor only if you have diabetes and use insulin or have had trouble with low blood sugar in the past¹². If you don’t have diabetes, you pay yourself. The same slides list over-the-counter sensors as cash-pay, and they say insurance coverage of prescription sensors still centers on people who take insulin, though it’s widening¹¹.

Compare that with the test most people need first. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in adults 35 to 70 with overweight or obesity, and says every three years may be reasonable after a normal result¹³.

Where a sensor can backfire

Food worry. A red graph after a bowl of rice can turn an ordinary meal into a failed test. No one knows how often that happens. The 2024 review of 25 trials didn’t report on harms at all³. Our earlier sensor article covers the FDA’s caution for people with a history of disordered eating.

If tracking food has ever pulled you toward restriction, talk with someone before you buy. The National Alliance for Eating Disorders runs a helpline at 1-866-662-1235, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern. Licensed counselors, social workers and psychologists offer support and referrals; it isn’t a crisis line¹⁴.

No low alarms. Both over-the-counter sensors lack alarms, while prescription real-time sensors have them². The ADA says over-the-counter sensors suit people who don’t take diabetes medicines that raise the risk of lows². It recommends sensors for people at high risk of lows⁷.

Skin and accuracy. The ADA tells clinicians to check for and treat skin irritation or allergy from sensors. It also wants users taught about substances and conditions that can throw off readings⁷.

Your data. Glucose logs, meals and sleep can reveal a lot about you. Our guide to locking down health apps explains what you can control.

Medicines. If you take any diabetes medicine, bring sensor data to your prescriber instead of adjusting a dose yourself. The ADA describes occasional sensor use as a way to guide medicine or lifestyle changes when daily use isn’t practical⁷.

Should you wear a glucose sensor? A decision guide

This tool is our own, built from the sources above. Find the row closest to your situation.

Your situation	What the evidence supports	Better first step
Healthy and curious, no known risk factors	Not enough evidence that wearing one improves health; 3 of 25 habit trials included people without diabetes3	Skip it, or run one short experiment with one question
Age 35 to 70 with overweight or obesity, or a history of gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome or diabetes in the family	Screening is recommended or worth starting earlier13; a sensor can’t diagnose7	Ask for a lab A1C or fasting glucose test
Prediabetes	Promising but early: two small trials, both bundled with diet advice or coaching56	A year-long CDC-recognized lifestyle program15; a yearly diabetes check7; a sensor as an add-on
Type 2 diabetes, not on insulin	The ADA recommends a sensor where it helps manage treatment27; average A1C gain is modest3	Ask your clinician whether a prescription sensor fits
Taking insulin or another drug that can cause lows	Over-the-counter sensors lack alarms and aren’t meant for you2	A prescription sensor with alarms, through your prescriber27
Eating-disorder history, or tracking food makes you anxious	Harms barely studied3	Talk with your treatment team; helpline 1-866-662-123514
Testing one specific change, such as a new breakfast	Promising but early, mostly alongside diet advice or coaching56	One sensor, one question, a set end date

If you decide to try one, set it up so the data serves you:

1. Write your question and your stop date before you open the box. One 15-day sensor can answer one question¹⁰.
2. Skip the subscription at first. Buy a single sensor and see whether it changes what you do¹¹.
3. Compare like with like. Test a change against your usual meal on similar days, with similar sleep and activity.
4. Judge it by behavior, not graphs. If your habits look the same a month later, the sensor didn’t earn its price.
5. Stop if meals start to feel like exams. Your peace at the table matters more than the data.

What the evidence supports

Claim	Evidence level	What it rests on
Sensors help people with diabetes who use insulin	Strong evidence	Top-grade ADA recommendation27
Sensor feedback lowers A1C in type 2 diabetes	Promising but early	A modest 0.28-point average drop; mixed trials, many company-linked3
Sensor feedback helps people with prediabetes	Promising but early	Two small, short trials with diet advice or coaching56
Wearing a sensor improves health without diabetes	Not enough evidence	Few trials; no long-term outcomes3
Glucose swings predict who will get diabetes	Promising but early	Two Spanish studies; each cutoff from a single study89
A sensor can diagnose prediabetes or diabetes	Evidence says no, or unsafe	Diagnosis uses lab tests7
Over-the-counter sensors suit people at risk of lows	Evidence says no, or unsafe	No alarms2
Sensors trigger food anxiety	Not enough evidence	Harms not reported in trials3

Noticing your body is an old skill, and a sensor is one tool for it

Natural health has long taught people to notice how food lands: steady or shaky, satisfied or hungry an hour later. A sensor can put numbers on that, and for a few weeks it can be a useful teacher.

It also comes from an industry with its own interests, and it deserves the scrutiny readers give drug makers. Many trials behind it were tied to the companies that sell it³.

The tools with the longest records are less flashy. The USPSTF found that lifestyle programs for prediabetes slowed the march to diabetes and modestly improved weight and blood pressure; the more intensive programs also helped blood fats¹³. A lab test tells you where you stand. A sensor, if you use one, works best as a short-term helper.

Questions readers ask

The bottom line

Glucose sensors are easy to buy, and HHS wants Americans wearing them. But the trials behind them are small, short and often company-linked, and few include people without diabetes. The ADA recommends sensors for many people with diabetes, not for prediabetes or healthy people.

If you have prediabetes or risk factors, start with a lab test and a proven lifestyle program. If you’re curious, one sensor with a clear question and an end date costs less than a subscription and can still teach you something. If tracking food has ever hurt your relationship with eating, skip it and reach out for support.

Related reading

• Glucose sensors catch every spike, and in healthy people most spikes are normal
• Prediabetes is a wide label, and your test, age and history decide what it means
• How your body guards the roughly 4 grams of glucose in your bloodstream
• Health apps share more than you think, and you can lock yours down
• Health tracking has a helpful dose, and past it, checking feeds worry

Sources

1. Singh P. “US Health Secretary Kennedy says HHS to launch campaign to encourage wearable devices.” Reuters, reprinted by West Hawaii Today, June 25, 2025. westhawaiitoday.com
2. Close K, et al. “ADA publishes 2026 Standards of Care – Executive Highlights.” Close Concerns Knowledge Base (diabetes industry analysis), released with the Standards, December 2025 (cited only for what the Standards’ technology section says). cckb.closeconcerns.com
3. Richardson KM, Jospe MR, Bohlen LC, et al. “The efficacy of using continuous glucose monitoring as a behaviour change tool in populations with and without diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.” International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2024;21:145. link.springer.com
4. Kekatos M. “RFK Jr. wants everyone to use wearables. What are the benefits, risks?” ABC News, Good Morning America, July 3, 2025. goodmorningamerica.com
5. Basiri R, Cheskin LJ. “Enhancing the Impact of Individualized Nutrition Therapy with Real-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring Feedback in Overweight and Obese Individuals with Prediabetes.” Nutrients, 2024;16(23):4005 (abstract record: citedrive.com); glucose figures from the authors’ preprint, Preprints.org, September 19, 2024. preprints.org
6. Westfeldt E, Prince B, Moncrief M, et al., Oser T. “Outcomes from the Glycemic Excursion Minimization (GEM) Intervention in Primary Care Patients with Prediabetes.” Annals of Family Medicine, 2025;23(Supplement 1) (conference abstract). annfammed.org (trial record NCT05580978, sponsor University of Colorado Denver: ctv.veeva.com)
7. Guideline Central. “2026 ADA Diabetes Standards of Medical Care Clinical Guideline Summary” (summary of American Diabetes Association, Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026, Diabetes Care 49, Supplement 1). Published December 8, 2025; updated September 16, 2026. guidelinecentral.com
8. Rodríguez García J, Camiña Darriba F, Ortolá Devesa JB, Rodríguez-Segade Villamarín S, Valle Rodríguez A. “Parameters of glycemic variability in continuous glucose monitoring as predictors of diabetes: a prospective evaluation in a non-diabetic general population.” Advances in Laboratory Medicine, 2025 (University of Santiago de Compostela repository). minerva.usc.gal
9. Pazos Couselo M, Lado Baleato Ó, Izquierdo V, et al., Gude Sampedro F. “Diabetes risk assessment in adult population without diabetes employing continuous glucose monitoring: A novel approach.” Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 2025;226:112286 (University of Santiago de Compostela repository). minerva.usc.gal
10. diaTribe. “Stelo by Dexcom CGM: Overview, Features, and News.” Last reviewed August 26, 2024 (diaTribe lists industry sponsors; cited for launch price and account eligibility). diatribe.org
11. Diabetes Education Services. “DiabetesEd Training Seminar 2026, Day 2” technology slides (over-the-counter CGM options and listed prices). Posted April 2026. diabetesed.net
12. Medicare.gov. “Continuous glucose monitors.” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, accessed October 2026. medicare.gov
13. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. “Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes: Screening.” Final recommendation statement, August 24, 2021. uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org
14. National Alliance for Eating Disorders. “What Is an Eating Disorder Helpline?” April 14, 2023, accessed October 2026. allianceforeatingdisorders.com
15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “What Is the National DPP?” CDC, May 15, 2024. cdc.gov