Manitoba government promise of diabetes coverage 'will save lives' but falls short, advocates say
Manitoba to cover continuous glucose monitor, insulin pumps for those under 25 after push from advocates
Joseph Sandul is grateful Manitoba's latest budget promises to cover costly diabetes equipment for his 12-year-old daughter.
But the Métis father of two who works a minimum wage job can't help but wonder why the province has proposed capping those supports for people under 25.
"That'll help people a lot, like my daughter," said Sandul, 48. "I just I feel sorry for people … what happens with people over 25?"
Manitoba's 2021-22 provincial budget was released Wednesday with a commitment to cover continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps for people under the age of 25.
That followed a push from local advocates like Trevor Kirczenow, who helped found the Emergency Diabetes Support for Manitobans. The impetus that led to forming the group was a growing chorus of concerns coming from Manitoba families struggling to afford diabetes medication and gear amid widespread pandemic layoffs.
"This coverage will save lives, it will improve lives dramatically," said Kirczenow. "We would love to see that extended to all ages: there's no medical reason for that 25 age cutoff."
Advocates push for change
The group began organizing in recent months — in one case challenging a number of MLAs to undergo the "antique" finger-prick testing — but in reality the pandemic exacerbated existing financial barriers.
Diabetes Canada recommends jurisdictions cover the cost of CGMs and says they can cost $3,000 to $6,000 per year. They monitor blood-glucose levels electronically and signal to the wearer when their insulin levels are low, making them a favoured tool over the traditional finger-prick testing method.
WATCH | 'No medical reason' not to extend diabetes supports to those over 25:
Kirczenow points to studies out of Europe that suggested CGMs can halve the frequency of life-threatening diabetic emergencies compared to finger-prick technology. Their use has also been tied to lower average blood sugar levels, which can reduce rates of complications down the line.
Kirczenow said it costs the system about $60,000 a year to treat one person who requires regular dialysis.
"If we could prevent 20 people from having to go on dialysis, that's $1.2 million," said Kirczenow, whose child has Type 1 diabetes. "There will be a huge return on the investment being made and it makes sense to do it for all ages."
No difference for over 25
Colin Mehmel is one of those left out of the newly-announced coverage. The 37-year-old freelance musician and clarinet teacher is a part of the gig economy that's been hit hard due to widespread event cancellations and closures.
"Diabetes is a lifelong disease, and this does not change my life and make it any better," Mehmel said of the budget coverage commitment.
Mehmel used to rely on a slightly cheaper device called a flash glucose monitor that is less precise and still requires the occasional fingerprick.
He recently upgraded to a CGM, which he estimates costs him about $3,600 a year, because it alleviates some of the stress of staying on top of things using other methods.
He's paying for that out of pocket because he has no private health coverage.
"What it ends up saving the system, according to large scale studies done in Europe, is quite substantive," he said.
"It's not really clear why the government would pass that up. It's really got a lot of adult diabetics over the age of 25 very, very confused."
Sandul is elated his daughter may no longer have to endure the anxiety-inducing five or six finger-pricks a day while she's at school, not to mention the savings his family stands to benefit from.
It wasn't long ago Sandul reached out to Kirczenow and diabetes support groups asking him to help set up a GoFundMe so he could afford the expensive supports for his daughter.
"It's just an amazing thing [CGMs], but so costly that nobody can afford," he said.
Between now and the time when CGM and insulin pump coverage kicks in, his financial and other concerns remain intact.
"How do people function? How do you have diabetes? I just don't get it."
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