Diabetes Technology Access:โ Supply Disruptions Linked โคto Poorer Health outcomes
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- Diabetes Technology Access:โ Supply Disruptions Linked โคto Poorer Health outcomes
Virginia โBeach,VA – A recent study highlights โwidespread challengesโ patients face in consistently accessing essential diabetes technology,leading โto disruptionsโข in care andโฃ perhaps worsening health. The findings, presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 85th โScientific Sessions, underscore aโ critical need for systemic improvements in supply chains andโ insurance coverage.
Key Findings on Diabetes Technologyโค Access
Researchers foundโค thatโค interruptions in obtaining prescribed supplies-including continuous glucose monitors (CGM), insulin pumps, and insulin itself-are โsurprisingly common. These gaps stem from a complex interplay of factors, primarily insurer requirements,โค supplier delays, โขandโ prescription renewal issues.โค โฃAccording to the study, 42.7% of โขCGM โusers and 27.3% of insulin pump users experienced at least one supply gapโฃ annually, while 12.7% reported interruptionsโ in insulin access.
“Almost โevery single dayโ this theme comes upโ withโค patients where they have prescribed diabetes technology supplies,โค but something โhappens to interrupt that supply and they’re not able to use โขthe system as intended,” explained Dr. Andrew Welch, โanโค endocrinologist at the University of Cincinnati College ofโข Medicine.โฃ
Factors โขContributing to Supply Gaps
The study pinpointed three primary drivers of these access problems: prior โauthorization demands from insurance companies, processing delays at supplier โคfacilities, andโ delaysโ in receiving updated prescriptions from physicians. These hurdles disproportionately affectโ individuals with lower incomes and those enrolled in Medicaid.
Did You Know?
Patients receiving 30-day prescriptions for โsupplies experienced significantly โขmore access gaps compared to those with 90-day prescriptions.
Earlyโค device failureโค also plays a ample role. The researchโข revealedโค that 42% of CGM users and 47% of insulin pump users reported experiencing device malfunctions frequently enough-more than โ10% of the time-to disrupt their diabetes management. Failure rates varied by โbrand, ranging from 39% with the Dexcom G6 to 53% โขfor Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre 3 for โฃCGMs, and from 34% withโข Medtronic’s MiniMed 780G to 53% for Insulet’s Omnipod 5 for insulinโฃ pumps.
Impact โฃon โPatient Health and Socioeconomic Status
Accessโข gaps were โdemonstrably linked to poorer glycemic control, as measured by A1C levels.โข Individuals with A1C levels above 7.0% reported significantlyโ more frequent supplyโ interruptions. โ This correlation highlightsโข the critical importance of uninterrupted access to technology for effective diabetes management. According to the โขCenters for disease Control and Prevention, maintainingโฃ an A1C below 7.0% is a key goal for โขmanyโ individualsโ with diabetes [[CDC]].
Dr. โฃDavid T. โขAhn, chief of diabetes services at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, noted the findingsโ weren’t entirely โขsurprising. “There’s aโข group ofโ people who don’t report any problems with โฃthis, and then there’s a group whoโ has so many problems that it can take over the whole โขclinical picture โคof thatโฃ person’s diabetes care,” he stated.
Data Summary: Diabetes Technology โAccess Gaps
| Technology | Percentage Reporting Any Gap Per Year | Average Number ofโข Gaps Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) | 42.7% | 2.6 |
| Insulin Pump | 27.3% | 2.4 |
| insulin | 12.7% | 2.2 |
Proโ Tip:
Patientsโฃ can proactively mitigateโ potential gaps by discussing longer prescription durations (e.g., 90-day supplies)โฃ with their healthcare providers.
Potential Solutions and Calls for Change
Researchers โand โคclinicians โคare advocating for systemic changes to address these challenges. Dr. Welch emphasized โthe โคneed for insurance companies to cover diabetes supplies based on documented failure rates and physician-prescribed quantities, without imposing burdensome โprior authorization requirements. He suggested that insurers should cover quantitiesโ of supplies based on โpublished failure rate data or โphysician-prescribed โขamounts, streamlining โthe process for โฃpatients.
Some workarounds, such as providing free samples or prescribing largerโค quantities of supplies, haveโฃ limited effectiveness, particularlyโ with items like CGM sensors, whichโฃ have โfixed usageโ durations. โ Optimizing workflow within practices,โฃ especially those specializingโ in typeโ 1 diabetes management, is alsoโ crucial, according to Dr. Ahn.
What steps โcanโข be taken to ensure equitableโ access to diabetes technology for all patients? โ How can healthcare โproviders and insurance companies collaborate to streamline the supply chainโ and reduce administrative burdens?
The Growing Landscape of Diabetesโฃ Technology
The prevalence of diabetes โคcontinues to rise globally, with an estimated 537 โฃmillion adults living withโฃ theโฃ condition in 2021 [[IDF]]. Advances in diabetes technology, such as โฃCGMs and โคinsulin pumps, have revolutionized diabetes management,โข offering improved glycemic control and quality of life. Though, these โคtechnologies โคare only effective when patients haveโ consistent access toโฃ them. The ongoing challenges highlighted in this research underscore the need for continued advocacy and innovation to ensure thatโ all individuals with diabetes โcan benefit from these life-changing tools.
Frequently โฃAsked Questionsโ About Diabetes Technology Access
- What is โคa prior authorization,โ and why dose itโข cause delays? A prior โauthorization is a requirement from insuranceโ companies that aโข healthcare provider obtain approval before prescribing a medication or device. This process can be time-consuming andโ create delays in access.
- Why โare 90-day prescriptions better than 30-day prescriptions for diabetes supplies? Patients receiving โฃ90-day supplies reportedโฃ fewer access gaps,likely โdue to reduced administrativeโ burdens and less frequent refill requests.
- What can patients do โขif they experiance โa gap in their โdiabetes technology supplies? Patients should contact their healthcareโค providerโฃ and supplier to explore options โfor expedited replacements orโฃ temporary solutions.
- What is the role of insurance companies in addressing these access gaps? Insurance companies can streamline the prior authorization process, cover supplies based on failure rates, andโ ensure timely processing of refill requests.
- How commonโข is device โฃfailure โคwith CGMs โฃand insulin โขpumps? Device failure is a significant issue, with over 40%โ of โคCGM and insulin pump users โขreporting malfunctions frequently enough to disrupt their diabetes management.
Disclaimer: โThis articleโข provides general dataโฃ and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult with a qualified healthcare professional โฃfor personalized guidance on diabetes management.
We hope this article sheds light on the โขcriticalโ issue of diabetes technology โaccess. please share this information with your โฃnetwork to raise awareness and advocate โfor improved care for individuals living with diabetes. Your comments and feedback are always โwelcome!
