Insulin pump. (Clickandphoto | Dreamstime.com)

By Regan Tate

Alberta halts changes to insulin pump therapy program

May 13, 2022 | 10:00 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Public outcry has prompted the provincial government to halt plans to discontinue the insulin pump therapy program on August 1, 2022.

Approximately 4,000 Albertans currently rely on pumps to deliver life-saving insulin throughout the day. Discontinuing the program would mean those who didn’t qualify as low income would need to find a government-sponsored health benefit plan like Blue Cross if they did not have insurance through an employer or other private firm.

Since the announcement, many with type 1 diabetes have expressed concern about the costs they would be facing.

Innisfail resident Colleen Preston, for example, is 62 years old and has had Type 1 for 51 years. She estimates the change, if it were to transpire as previously put forth, would cost her upwards of $400 in new co-pay fees each quarter, plus another 25% of the cost when she needs to replace her current pump.

Pumps run between $6,000 and $9,000, she notes.

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“This is coming out of our pockets, unless we don’t want to use a pump anymore, which would be a terrible ordeal,” says Preston. “The pumps are new technology and allow for much better control, which prevents long-term complications of diabetes, of which there are many.”

Diabetes Canada also wrote a letter to Health Minister Jason Copping, asking him to suspend plans to dismantle the program and initiate meaningful consultation with the diabetes community.

“We have heard from Albertans who will be unable to pay the premium and co-pay imposed by the new policy,” said Russel Williams, Senior Vice President of Diabetes Canada. “This will leave them with no choice but to resume multiple daily injections of insulin and effectively compromise their ability to manage their diabetes. In some cases, it may force Albertans to make difficult choices between paying for needed diabetes drugs, devices, and supplies, or paying for necessities like rent or food.”

Williams added that some Albertans living with Type 1 diabetes have indicated that their private plans do not routinely cover insulin pumps, or their plans are capped at an annual maximum amount, further increasing out-of-pocket costs for diabetes management.

Copping had stated earlier that cancelling the program would save the government about $9 million.

READ MORE: Alberta Government changing the way insulin pumps are covered

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