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This updated cost estimate for U.S. diabetics is for 2017, not now. Insulin prices in the U.S. are up substantially since 2017. Another expensive change since

This updated cost estimate for U.S. diabetics is for 2017, not now. Insulin prices in the U.S. are up substantially since 2017. Another expensive change since then is the increasing availability of the (so-called) continuous glucose monitors, now costing around $100/week for each diabetic using one. My opinion (I use one) is that mine is well worth it, but that the monitors are unlikely to reduce the total medical cost of diabetes care for many because of all the difficulties of responding to the monitor's data with beneficial changes, which might range from immediate doses of food or medication to long-term changes in diet, exercise, lifestyle, etc.

heisenzombie 4y ago
Are CGMs recommended or funded for people with type 2 diabetes in the US?
- lucas_membrane 4y ago
  Mine is paid for by Medicare, but Medicare will only pay for a CGM for type 1 diabetics who actively manage their diabetes based on the CGM data as directed by a physician. For people not covered by Medicare (almost everyone under age 65), I don't know, but I suppose it depends on their insurance company and/or employer, etc, etc, like just about everything. I talk with someone who provides services to diabetics in a low cost clinic funded as a charity for persons with very low income, and they never mention any possibility of getting CGMs for their patients. Based on my experience with a couple of different CGMs, I guess that the target market of the CGM makers includes many more type 2 diabetics than type 1, both because there are many more type 2 diabetics than type 1, and because the larger number would would yield much more profit; and I also expect that the CGM would generally work better for a type 2 diabetic than my CGMs have worked for me, because my problems with the devices have been caused by fluctuations in blood glucose levels resulting from the sometimes large doses of fast-acting insulin that I take. What is your take on this situation?

heisenzombie 4y ago

Are CGMs recommended or funded for people with type 2 diabetes in the US?

lucas_membrane 4y ago
Mine is paid for by Medicare, but Medicare will only pay for a CGM for type 1 diabetics who actively manage their diabetes based on the CGM data as directed by a physician. For people not covered by Medicare (almost everyone under age 65), I don't know, but I suppose it depends on their insurance company and/or employer, etc, etc, like just about everything. I talk with someone who provides services to diabetics in a low cost clinic funded as a charity for persons with very low income, and they never mention any possibility of getting CGMs for their patients. Based on my experience with a couple of different CGMs, I guess that the target market of the CGM makers includes many more type 2 diabetics than type 1, both because there are many more type 2 diabetics than type 1, and because the larger number would would yield much more profit; and I also expect that the CGM would generally work better for a type 2 diabetic than my CGMs have worked for me, because my problems with the devices have been caused by fluctuations in blood glucose levels resulting from the sometimes large doses of fast-acting insulin that I take. What is your take on this situation?