UPDATE – October 1: Yukon will fund CGM for adults. This follows announcement last month to fund Flash GM.
September 25, 2020
The Yukon government has made the decision to fully fund flash glucose monitors (FGMs) for those 18 years of age and older with type 1 diabetes (T1D) starting on October 1st. While this expansion of access to T1D technologies is a step in the right direction, the decision was made after ending a pilot program that covered continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for those 18-25 years old.
Improving access to advanced glucose monitoring for everyone living with T1D is the goal of JDRF’s Access for All campaign. Patients should have the choice of which device to use – whether it is CGM or FGM – that is most effective in managing their disease and this decision should not be based on which devices are publicly funded. Technology cannot be approached as one size fits all because each device has its own benefits and the best option will vary from person to person based on their circumstances and needs. For example, for someone with hypo unawareness, extra protection is provided by alarms offered on a CGM that alert the wearer of high or low blood sugar levels, including while sleeping, and allow them to take quick action.
The government’s plan will allow adults to be reimbursed up to the maximum cost of the FGM if they prefer to opt for a CGM instead. However, this will still pose a financial burden for some.
Public funding for T1D technologies continues to be an issue in provinces across Canada and JDRF is committed to working with the T1D community and provincial governments to get to our end goal of Access for All.
To learn more about JDRF’s #AccessForAll campaign check out jdrf.ca/accessforall.
