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Saskatchewan residents with diabetes could possibly be receiving more support if the Saskatchewan Party is re-elected.
The Sask. Party promised Wednesday to expand eligibility under the Saskatchewan Insulin Pump Program to completely remove the age restriction as well as cover the cost.
The party also added it will cover the cost of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for children under the age of 18.
“Diabetes can be very costly to manage,” Sask. Party Leader Scott Moe said during a media conference in Regina. “We have been reminded of this by those with diabetes and their families.
“Around 600 kids throughout the province are expected to benefit from the coverage for CGMs. These two measures — an expanded insulin pump program and support for continuous glucose monitoring technology — will make life better for those people and their families living with diabetes.”
A CGM works through a tiny sensor inserted under a person’s skin, usually on their belly or arm. The sensor measures glucose found in the fluid between the cells, testing the glucose every few minutes.
A transmitter wirelessly sends the information to a monitor.
CGM systems typically range in price from $3,000 to $6,000 a year.
“It costs us roughly $300 a month for our daughter to have a glucose monitor,” said Dustin Halvorson, a father of a four-year-old daughter with Type 1 diabetes. “It’s extremely important to monitor her levels at all times of the day (and) how rapidly they are moving. We can’t say enough about this technology.
“I’ve said to my friends that this technology is so important. We would probably sell our house before going without this.”
The cost of the two programs is expected to be about $4.6 million per year, with slightly higher costs for the Saskatchewan Insulin Pump Program during the program’s initial expansion.
The current Saskatchewan Insulin Pump Program, which was introduced by the Saskatchewan Party government, covers the cost of insulin pumps and supplies for Saskatchewan residents under the age of 25 with Type 1 diabetes.
Eliminating the age restriction and expanding the program to cover all ages could benefit about 400 individuals.
