Letter: Alberta’s diabetics rely on insulin pump program as a matter of life or death
By James Tubb on June 21, 2022.
Dear editor, Six years ago, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I was a healthy 38-year-old firefighter with no other chronic disease. I didn’t choose diabetes. Diabetes chose me. Type 1 diabetes is a non-preventable, chronic disease that occurs when your pancreas stops producing insulin. Without insulin, your body cannot properly regulate the amount of sugar in your blood. Insulin pumps are a critical health device for all Type 1 diabetics as they help us to effectively manage swings in blood sugar levels using precise insulin infusions. Without proper blood sugar management, diabetics are at risk for serious health complications such as nerve damage, kidney damage, blindness, heart attacks, strokes and foot or leg amputations. These complications not only require very expensive hospital interventions, but they result in severe, permanent impacts on quality of life. Insulin pumps are a critical tool for maintaining the health and longevity of those of us living with Type 1 diabetes and for reducing the health-care costs that arise from treating diabetic complications. Without consulting with Type 1 diabetics living in Alberta, the United Conservative Party announced on May 10, 2022 that they would no longer provide coverage for the Insulin Pump Therapy Program as of Aug. 1. This announcement put diabetics like myself in a very difficult position; we are scrambling for information and worrying about the impacts this decision will have on our future health and the financial stability of our families. Without the IPTP, the cost of an insulin pump will be prohibitive as will the cost of Alberta Blue Cross premiums in the face of this pre-existing condition. Reverting to archaic methods of diabetes management (such as manual insulin injections) will result in increased health risks and complications along with increased costs to the health care system. While other provinces are expanding coverage for diabetes monitoring and management with Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring to go along with Insulin Pump Therapy Programs, Alberta is taking a step backwards. The UCP needs to completely reverse their decision on the IPTP and expand coverage for the Continuous Blood Glucose Monitoring Program for diabetics over the age of 18. My life and the lives of approximately 4,000 other Albertans living with this chronic disease depend on it. (Editor’s note: Health Minister Jason Copping announced May 12 that the province will pause indefinitely the plan to end the program) Patrick Jérôme Medicine Hat 17-16
