Comments on: Hello, PHARMAC. So long, Southern Cross.

By: Saffy

Saffy — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:29:06 +0000

Ok a very late post on this but I’m fired up on this topic too. Explain to me why the govt will fund my Lantus at some ridiculous cost each month (i.e. about the same as pump consumables) but won’t pay for pump stuff? It almost makes me want to spend the next 10 years pregnant so that the hospital will pay for my stuff :p How can T1s EVER be as ‘high on the radar’ as T2s in Pharmac’s eyes when we’re such a small proportion of the total. I seriously wish we had a totally different name for our condition – maybe it’s time for a rebrand, I’m sick of being lumped with the T2s. Vent over

By: Nic

Nic — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:10:46 +0000

Hear hear Lucy, it’s the last thing you need when you’ve gone down to one income I’m sure!

By: Lucy

Lucy — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 23:22:37 +0000

Hi,
I am happy to help where I can. I have a 5 month old baby and have found the pump a huge help and has lowered my Hba1c significantly. Being on one income, the financial commitment has been a struggle to say the least. I had to get a loan to get the pump. Would support any work to get some funding!

By: Nic

Nic — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:26:47 +0000

Update to the PHARMAC email: http://www.beingdiabetic.co.nz/2009/03/02/response-from-pharmac/

By: Aaron

Aaron — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:08:17 +0000

This is all sounding great guys. I forgot to mention that Nikki Kaye is also a friend of mine so I can potentially have some impact there. New to parliament, looking to make her mark and eager as a bean. I’ll see her within the month for personal reasons anyway so will be sure to have the conversation.

I remember when my mother accosted Jim Bolger in public in the early 1990’s because diabetics had to pay for syringes and drug addicts got them for free and they changed that policy pretty damn quick. I’m taking after her!

By: Kris

Kris — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:28:11 +0000

There is a guy in Wellington called Matt Taylor (can be contacted through his website www. breakscore.com) who is very politically active in trying to get funding at least for pump consumables. Matt has had positive feedback from Jackie Blue (National MP who is a doctor), and has recently been to see the Attorney General Chris Finlayson to discuss it – he was positive about it too because his sister has Type 1, and he agreed to write to Tony Ryall (Minister of Health) about it.

Matt contacted me last year after I wrote a ranting letter to the Listener about funding for pumps and asking why the hell David Cunliffe wouldn’t give the go-ahead for the pig cell trials. (which Cunliffe subsequently did thank goodness – although I’m sure it wasn’t me that made him do it!) So many Type 1s (and parents of Type 1s like me) got in touch with me after that letter I was really surprised. There are obviously a lot of annoyed people out there so somehow that needs to be harnessed. Annoying MPS by writing to them a lot is one way I have found useful, but there must be others!

By: Nic

Nic — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 08:26:54 +0000

Nice one…. I know Matt who reads this blog has spoken to the Attorney General recently… Matt can you summarise what happened at the meeting? Nic

By: Debbie

Debbie — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:35:48 +0000

My MP is John Key but I have no idea how easy he is to get hold of. But I am willing to write to people. Hopefully more people will get on board.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:45:02 +0000

Hey all. Since the conversation is starting I’ll reaffirm to you all that I too am on this bandwagon as are others I know. I plan on talking to my MP soon to make my concerns heard so let’s all talk and organise ourselves into a cohesive unit. The more voices we can get the better.

By: Nic

Nic — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:53:08 +0000

Hi Debbie – great to hear from you and good on you for getting your son on a pump! All the best for the start in March. It’s hard work but incredibly worth it. Re the lobbying I think we’ll need to get as many people together as we can so I’ll keep blogging about it and get you all to join in when we’ve got something cohesive (I believe there are some other people out there who are a few steps ahead of me so I’ll catch up with them when I can). Let us know how you get on with your son’s pump start!

Chris – good point. Surely it would make sense to have actual, real life diabetics on the committee?!