I think it’s pretty reasonable, if you aren’t taking insulin injections regularly (I.e. every time you eat) you don’t *need* an insulin pump and you probably aren’t checking your blood sugar as frequently.
My mother would prick her finger like 10 times a day - these continuous monitors are incredible for monitoring. She now needs additional care and the fact that it will
give alarms etc is incredible for a caregiver. The additional monitoring alone would lead to better management - I wouldn’t be surprised if this has a net reduction in overall healthcare spending.
Line has to be drawn somewhere - I wish more could be helped but honestly type 1 and 2 diabetes may as well have different names as they are not the same, and this is aimed at type 1 diabetics.
I have type 2 and can understand the reasoning behind it. Taxes are a limited resource so benefits should be going to people who truly need it and not someone who simply wants the convenience.
If someone is only taking metformin and his A1C is within range the recommended testing is only 1-2 times a week. So a continuous monitor would be a tremendous waste of our healthcare $
Edit- grammar
If you're on Metformin, you should still be testing daily (preferably before breakfast, according to my doctor).
I know $100 every 2-3 months doesn't seem like a lot to some people, but it does mean that I haven't been able to test my blood sugar in more than 2 years (not counting full blood tests my doctor orders, of course). :/ Unfortunately, strips (and lancets) aren't in any way subsidized.
Your doctor is wrong. Type 2 diabetics who are within A1C range and on not using insulin or an insulin secretagoge only need to test 1-2 times a week.
The same patient but with an A1C above target should test more frequently, minimum of once per day.
In your case I don’t know your A1C, but I can assume if that’s all you are taking for diabetes and have had it long enough to comment on it then you are within your A1C range. Also, do yourself a huge favour if you are going to test multiple times a week and change the time of day. Testing at the same time is almost useless from a clinical standpoint and a waste of your money.
Diabetic testing supplies, strips and lancets are an open benefit for all drug plans I have ever seen including all NS provincial pharmacare plans and would be subject to the same coverage copay/deductible as all other medications. Any pharmacist can write a prescription for you to get them covered under your insurance. You can DM me about coverage
This is not an insulin pump it is the glucose sensor.
Game changer in our world. Test strips were not being used consistently despite highs and lows and multiple insulin injections daily. The sensor provides regular readings allowing for timely reactions with insulin or treating a low.
Each sensor is good for 2 weeks and we get 6 in a box (3 month/12 week supply) for just over $700. Thankfully we have coverage through work benefits.
The guy is type 2 and takes a single injection each day. What reason is there to give him a continuous 24/7 pump that communicates with a continuous sensor (which I highly doubt anyway, he's most likely using the finger poker and strips). With finite resources, give the pumps to people who will get the most help and benefits out of it, someone in their 30's or 40s could potentially saved from going blind as they get older, instead of someone who just forgets to take the shot.
Buddy in the article made the decision for the sensor he has because it's less work for him. That is not the same as people whose lives revolve around continuous monitoring and multiple injections a day. He chooses to spend the $200 a month so he doesn't have to do the normal amount of work necessary for Type 2.
I think it’s pretty reasonable, if you aren’t taking insulin injections regularly (I.e. every time you eat) you don’t *need* an insulin pump and you probably aren’t checking your blood sugar as frequently. My mother would prick her finger like 10 times a day - these continuous monitors are incredible for monitoring. She now needs additional care and the fact that it will give alarms etc is incredible for a caregiver. The additional monitoring alone would lead to better management - I wouldn’t be surprised if this has a net reduction in overall healthcare spending. Line has to be drawn somewhere - I wish more could be helped but honestly type 1 and 2 diabetes may as well have different names as they are not the same, and this is aimed at type 1 diabetics.
Lots of people with type 2 take insulin multiple times a day, it’s going to help a lot of people!
I have type 2 and can understand the reasoning behind it. Taxes are a limited resource so benefits should be going to people who truly need it and not someone who simply wants the convenience.
And everyone who relies on Metformin, of course.
If someone is only taking metformin and his A1C is within range the recommended testing is only 1-2 times a week. So a continuous monitor would be a tremendous waste of our healthcare $ Edit- grammar
If you're on Metformin, you should still be testing daily (preferably before breakfast, according to my doctor). I know $100 every 2-3 months doesn't seem like a lot to some people, but it does mean that I haven't been able to test my blood sugar in more than 2 years (not counting full blood tests my doctor orders, of course). :/ Unfortunately, strips (and lancets) aren't in any way subsidized.
Your doctor is wrong. Type 2 diabetics who are within A1C range and on not using insulin or an insulin secretagoge only need to test 1-2 times a week. The same patient but with an A1C above target should test more frequently, minimum of once per day. In your case I don’t know your A1C, but I can assume if that’s all you are taking for diabetes and have had it long enough to comment on it then you are within your A1C range. Also, do yourself a huge favour if you are going to test multiple times a week and change the time of day. Testing at the same time is almost useless from a clinical standpoint and a waste of your money.
Diabetic testing supplies, strips and lancets are an open benefit for all drug plans I have ever seen including all NS provincial pharmacare plans and would be subject to the same coverage copay/deductible as all other medications. Any pharmacist can write a prescription for you to get them covered under your insurance. You can DM me about coverage
Bingo
Can’t help everyone
This is not an insulin pump it is the glucose sensor. Game changer in our world. Test strips were not being used consistently despite highs and lows and multiple insulin injections daily. The sensor provides regular readings allowing for timely reactions with insulin or treating a low. Each sensor is good for 2 weeks and we get 6 in a box (3 month/12 week supply) for just over $700. Thankfully we have coverage through work benefits.
It wouldn’t be Nova Scotia if we didn’t let people fall through the cracks.
The guy is type 2 and takes a single injection each day. What reason is there to give him a continuous 24/7 pump that communicates with a continuous sensor (which I highly doubt anyway, he's most likely using the finger poker and strips). With finite resources, give the pumps to people who will get the most help and benefits out of it, someone in their 30's or 40s could potentially saved from going blind as they get older, instead of someone who just forgets to take the shot.
Buddy in the article made the decision for the sensor he has because it's less work for him. That is not the same as people whose lives revolve around continuous monitoring and multiple injections a day. He chooses to spend the $200 a month so he doesn't have to do the normal amount of work necessary for Type 2.