New Data Shows Benefits of Medtronic Insulin Pumps for People with Type 2 Diabetes
Study Shows Insulin Pumps Safely Provided Significant, Sustainable and Reproducible Improvements in Glucose Control in Comparison to Multiple Daily Injections
DUBLIN - April 13, 2016 - Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), the global leader in medical technology, today announced the publication of new data in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism from the continuation phase of the OpT2mise study, providing further clinical evidence in support of insulin pumps for people with insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes. The OpT2mise study is the largest randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy and safety of insulin pump therapy versus multiple daily injections (MDI) for poorly controlled type 2 patients.
Study findings showed that MiniMed® insulin pumps safely provided significant, sustainable and reproducible improvements in glucose control in comparison to MDI. At 12 months, the group that crossed over to MiniMed insulin pumps after an initial six months of MDI doubled their A1C reduction (a blood measurement used to indicate glucose control) from 0.4% to 0.8% while using 19% less insulin.
I have no doubt whatever that is true. Now just try to convince Medicare (or private insurance, as far as that goes) that they should cover it, without spending the next three years of your life jumping through bureaucratic hoops with about a 25% chance of success. And as for a CGM . . . just forget about it.
Not always - I got one. But, yes, it’s very hard. In fact, though, I had a lot harder time getting a pump approved than a CGM! CGM was approved based on a history of low BGs and partial hypoglycemia unawareness. Insurance outright rejected the pump for me, even with a peer review. A quirk in their coverage (for now) has allowed me to get pump supplies covered, even though the pump itself was not.
They did say, though, for a badly uncontrolled T2D, which they define as someone with an A1c over 9.5 or 10.0 or regular incidents of BG over 500, they would consider a pump; my doctor wanted me on a pump because I was unable to avoid lows on MDI without seriously impacting my control on the high end - that reason, they rejected out of hand.
I read the title of this post and thought “well, duh!” However, as stated many, many times before, insurance to needs to start considering this. Wouldn’t the cost of a pump greatly out weigh the cost of the diabetes complications is could prevent?
