British Columbia Expands PharmaCare Coverage To Include Life-Changing Diabetes Monitor

British Columbians with diabetes will now be able to apply for life-changing medical technology coverage through the province’s PharmaCare program.

Health Minister Adrian Dix announced on Friday that the program will cover the Dexcom G6 continuous blood glucose monitor.

The tool monitors the blood sugar levels of diabetics in real time thanks to a sensor attached to the skin and transmits the information to an application.

It is also able to send push notifications if a person’s blood sugar level rises too much or drops too low, potentially putting them at risk.

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The province estimates that access to the devices will help about 20,000 people in each of the first three years.

Covering the devices at list price would have cost British Columbia about $ 100 million, but the province says it negotiated an unspecified discount.

“People with diabetes who meet the criteria for the device can get coverage if they are enrolled in Fair PharmaCare or have PharmaCare coverage through C (income assistance), Plan F (children in the At Home program) or Plan W (First Nations Health Benefits), ”the province said.

An estimated 29,000 people are diagnosed with diabetes, a disease that affects a person’s ability to regulate their blood sugar, each year in British Columbia.

Diabetes remains the sixth leading cause of death in Canada, and complications of the disease can include seizures, organ damage and kidney disease, blindness and non-traumatic amputation.