August 26, 2020
There’s good news for pumpers in BC! BC Pharmacare has added YpsoPump by YpsoMed to its Tier 1 list of approved insulin pumps. BC residents with type 1 diabetes of all ages can now choose between the Omnipod by Insulet or the YpsoPump under the province’s pump program.
Thanks in part to our JDRF Advocates, the province has also added the Medtronic MiniMed 670g to its list of Tier 2 pumps. Medtronic pumps can be obtained under a special exemption based on a recommendation from the person’s doctor or endocrinologist. Patients may be responsible for paying some of the cost for a Tier 2 device.
Nearly 400 JDRF Advocates responded to our action last summer urging the BC government to add the Medtronic 670g and the Tandem t:slim X2 to their list of approved pumps. While Tandem’s pump is still not available through BC Pharmacare, the addition of the Medtronic 670g is a small victory for our community’s choice and means that some of the costs for this device will be covered.
At JDRF we continue to push for expand access to the medical technologies – insulin pumps and advanced glucose monitoring systems – that Canadians with type 1 diabetes need. We hope that one day soon sensors too will be covered. To learn more about JDRF’s #AccessForAll campaign check out jdrf.ca/accessforall.
