It's something that Albertans with Type 1 diabetes have been awaiting for years. Starting on June 1, diabetics in the province will be able to receive provincial funding for their insulin pumps.
Health Minister Fred Horne made the announcement Thursday, saying the pumps and basic pump supplies will be covered through a new fund called the Insulin Pump Therapy program.
Alberta is the last province in Canada to fund insulin pumps. But it’s now the first in the country to offer the pumps with no age restrictions.
“Our program in Alberta will be among the most generous in Canada,” Horne said.
Insulin pumps regulate a diabetic’s insulin levels by delivering the drug directly into the patient through a small tube inserted under the skin.
Many with the disease say the pumps are much easier to manage than monitoring insulin levels manually and giving oneself multiple injections a day. The pumps are especially good for children, who often have trouble knowing when their blood sugar levels are dropping.
While the pumps are convenient, they’re also expensive, costing about $7,000 each. As well, other diabetes supplies can cost more than $6,000 a year.
Until now, Albertans wanting the pumps had to use private insurance or insurance programs from work to defer the costs. But now the province will help with the costs for those who qualify.
Around 13,000 people in Alberta live with insulin-dependent diabetes, and 1,400 of them are currently using an insulin pump. That number, though, is expected to grow with the new funding program.
Lisa Hart and her teenage daughter Megan both have Type 1 diabetes, and are excited about the funding program.
Megan used to have a pump, but when its warranty ran out after five years, she went back to injections. She says she now wants a new pump because they’re easier for her.
“You don’t have to worry about calculating things; it does it for you. You can adjust insulin down to very small amounts. It’s really tight control,” Megan told CTV Edmonton.
“It comes down to quality of life for a lot of people,” adds her mother Lisa. “It does mean fewer complications down the road.”
Dr. Richard Lewanczuk with Alberta Health Services says the pumps aren’t for everyone but can be helpful to many.
“The people best suited are those who need very tight control and who generally tend to have unpredictable types of lifestyles,” he told reporters.
Existing pump users will need to be assessed to ensure they meet the clinical criteria to receive coverage through the program, both for supplies and new pumps when they need them.
Lisa and Megan have already booked their appointment to get the approval process underway.
“We have a lot of stress in our lives with diabetes as it is, so to have that financial burden relieved, it’s good,” says Lisa.
With a report from CTV Edmonton’s Carmen Leibel
