Province says it will expand glucose monitor access for diabetics

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on December 17, 2024.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

Alberta’s government is expanding access to continuous glucose monitors, one of the most cost prohibitive parts of diabetes management.

Currently, roughly 1.3 million Albertans live with diabetes or pre-diabetes, a number expected to rise to 1.7 million by 2034. Because of this, the province says, expanding access to innovative health technologies is now more important than ever.

“Managing one’s diabetes can be extremely stressful. Expanding access to these monitors for more Albertans will make their lives easier and relieve the burden on people living with diabetes,” said Health Minister Adriana LaGrange.

CGM coverage for children under 18 began in February 2022, following a health technology assessment that determined they would benefit the most from this technology. Building on that success, Alberta is now extending CGM coverage to eligible adults.

As of now, all Albertans living with diabetes requiring certain insulin therapies, and enrolled in an Alberta government-sponsored health benefit plan, can access this vital technology.

The use of a continuous glucose monitor reduces or eliminates the need for blood glucose test strips, and as such Albertans who receive funding for a continuous glucose monitor will have adjusted limits for blood glucose test strips for occasional use of blood glucose test strips.

Those who do not receive funding for a continuous glucose monitor will continue to have the same blood glucose test strip limits.

This expansion fulfils a key recommendation from the Diabetes Working Group.

“On behalf of the Diabetes Working Group, we are delighted that the Government of Alberta has expanded access to continuous glucose monitors in response to one of our key recommendations,” said Dr. Julie McKeen and Dr. Peter Sargious, co-chairs of the Diabetes Working Group. “This is life changing for tens of thousands of Albertans living with diabetes.”

Approximately 23,500 Albertans aged 18 years and older will now be eligible for continuous glucose monitor coverage, said the province. The first two years of this coverage will be provided via the the Canada-Alberta agreement to improve health care.

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