Pharmacare Expanded For Young Adults With Diabetes
Currently, the program covers anyone 18-years and younger who meets the criteria for reimbursement of insulin pumps and supplies – the average cost of an insulin pump is approximately $6500. As of April 1st, the coverage will be extended to cover those young adults up to the age of 25 who don't have access to third party insurance coverage, or who cannot afford to buy a pump. (BC Gov photo, Diabetes advocates Jessica Schmidt (l) and Katherine Coupland (c) demonstrate pump for Health Minister Terry Lake)
Canadian Diabetes Association regional director, Sue Taylor, is applauding the move, "This is a great next step in ensurig people with diabetes have the tools they need to better manager their disease, ultimately improving their health and quality of life."
"The need to constantly balance insulin with food and activities can be a challenge for anyone with diabetes, especially young British Columbians," says Health Minister, Terry Lake. "For some, an insulin pump provides stability and better monitoring. Expanding coverage to included young adults will help offset financial costs for many families."
According to the Ministry of Health, Pharmacare has covered the cost of pumps for those 18 and under since 2008 – 1300 young people have received them at a cost of $6.4-million dollars.
Comments
They need to cut seniors more slack as well.
Doubtful that will ever happen P Val. We seem to be heading the other way.
I know oldun, my parents are being abused by the system they paid for all their lives.
Good on the government. Providing pumps to kids with type one is life changing. Type one means your pancreas has been damaged by your bodys immune system. A pump is a machine designed to be help replicate some of the function lost. These are not kids that have an unhealthy life style or eat to much(often the causes of type 2) This is a disease where the cause is 99% unkown. Not only are they often diagnosed at a very young age 2-3 it never goes away. So learning to use a pump while parents still have a strong influence is crutial.
I will get off my soap box now.
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