OBJECTIVES: to compare the healthcare utilization and costs in the year before and after randomization among participants of a clinical trial  assessing the effectiveness of nurse-led telecoaching in optimizing diabetes control in Belgium.  METHODS: Patients  were affiliates of the Independent Sickness Funds with type 2 diabetes selected by hypoglycaemic agent consumption, invited into the study and randomized to telecoaching or usual care. The intervention was delivered by diabetes educators in five telephone sessions spread over 6 months. Costs of the intervention were collected along the trial. Information on resource utilization was extracted from the database of the sickness funds and the between group difference in change was analyzed per service category.  RESULTS: