National estimates of the number of office-based visits documenting a diagnosis of type 2 DM and the prescribing of an oral medication for glycemic control increased from 7 871 283 in 1990 to 13 730 886 in 2001 (a 74.4% increase). A significantly higher proportion of patients covered by private health insurance were prescribed a newer agent, either alone or as part of a combination regimen of oral agents, as compared to patients covered by either Medicare or Medicaid (chi(2)<or = .001).