So…. it’s taken me a while to get going on this (probably something to do with the crazy workload I had for the entire second half (and most of the first half) of last year. Never mind, I’m moving ahead with it now.

A number of you regular readers of this blog have commented on the less-than-ideal situation that is us type 1s who want to use insulin pump therapy being hit in the pocket for it. I totally agree: $7000+ up front for the insulin pump, then $200 a month to pay for all the consumables (not to mention the extra dollars we spend on things like glucose tablets, hand sanitiser, sterile wipes, batteries etc etc) is TOTALLY UNCOOL.

Personally, six months into my pumping ‘career’, I can now see why on multiple daily injections (MDI) I struggled and struggled, had highs and lows, had to take more and more injections every day and still couldn’t get my HbA1c down. I wrote myself off as a bad diabetic, and wondered how anyone could possibly ‘do well at it’ without locking themselves indoors every day and behaving like a robot. The pump – while it doesn’t take away the constant hard work of having type 1 diabetes – has swept in and turned my life around…. the flexibility I can have on the pump, along with the overall improvement in my diabetes has been incredible.

Without sounding like some sort of crazy evangelist, I am now going to start gearing up for doing my bit in lobbying to get insulin pump consumables funded (at the least) and a subsidy for type 1s to buy insulin pumps with.

I don’t have a clear plan of attack yet – I want to do some good research first to make sure I’ve done my due diligence.

First up, I’ve emailed PHARMAC to find out what their official line on the situation is (I mailed them today). This is the only thing I could find on their site, and it’s from their 2000-2001 Business Plan (http://www.pharmac.govt.nz/2002/07/26/ABP2001.pdf), so it’s probably not the most relevant. They mention insulin pumps on page 67:

We have received requests by patients to fund insulin pumps. The diabetes subcommittee of PTAC has previously recognised its use in the small “brittle” patient group but so far has not recommended PHARMAC subsidise them. Currently there appear to be various ways patients access pumps, for instance hiring them from hospitals. Anecdotally we are aware that manufacturers are starting to promote pumps for wider use than just brittle diabetics. The subcommittee has considered the issue and expressed an interest in considering it further but gave it a low priority compared to other diabetes areas and asked that before it consider it further, the funding stream (HFA directly or PHARMAC) be clarified.

For those of you (like me) who’ve never heard of the term ‘brittle diabetes’, here is a definition: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18392.

The other part in my fact-finding mission to date was to find out for sure if my insurance company would/not come to the party. So, I emailed Southern Cross. I have been with Southern Cross solidly since 1989, and have had diabetes since 1994, so I did not have diabetes as a pre-existing condition when I signed up. Everyone has told me to forget about health insurance paying for these things, and they were right. Click here to see a copy of the rejection letter.

So…. next steps…. a bit more research, then I’m going to see if I can get a meeting with my local MP. Will give you updates as they occur.


By Nic on 28 February 2009 at 1.36 pm
Posted in Funding, Insulin Pumps
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