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Diabetes Leadership Council Calls for Expanded Patient Choice in Diabetes Technologies to Improve Outcomes and Equity

Diabetes Leadership Council Calls for Expanded Patient Choice in Diabetes Technologiesto Improve Outcomes and Equity

New Paper Highlights Barriers to Access and Urges Policymakers to Prioritize PersonalizedCare

June 20th, 2025

The Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) today released a new whitepaper, "DiabetesManagement is Not One-Size-Fits-All: The Importance of Patient Choice in Use of DiabetesTechnologies," which calls for urgent reforms to ensure equitable access and personal choice indiabetes technology for all people with diabetes.

Informed by a panel of top clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates from leading diabetesorganizations, the report details how restrictive insurance policies, administrative red tape, andinstitutional barriers are depriving patients of access to life-saving devices like continuousglucose monitors (CGMs) and automated insulin delivery (AID) systems—technologies provento reduce hospitalizations, improve glycemic control, and improve quality of life.

"Diabetes is not a one-size-fits-all condition, yet outdated policies often force patients into a onesize-fits-all approach to management," said George Huntley, CEO of the Diabetes LeadershipCouncil and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition. “People with diabetes should not be forced tosettle for outdated tools or jump through bureaucratic hoops to access these technologies. Thebest device for a person with diabetes is the device they will use. These findings demand urgentaction to tear down restrictive and outdated policies.”

KEY FINDINGS:

  • Unmet Need: Less than half of Americans with diabetes meet the A1c goal of <7%,despite technological advances.
  • Innovations Underutilized: CGM and AID systems have been proven to lower HbA1c,reduce hospitalizations, and ease the daily burden of diabetes—yet fewer than half ofeligible patients use them due to coverage gaps and administrative hurdles.
  • Choice Improves Outcomes: Patients who select their preferred devices are moreengaged, adherent, and likely to achieve glycemic targets.
  • Systemic Barriers: Restrictive insurance policies, Medicare’s outdated C-peptide testingrequirements for AID systems, and institutional bans on personal devices inhospitals/prisons exacerbate disparities, particularly for underserved communities.
  • Consequences in Action: Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program for glucose teststrips (2011) disrupted access, increased mortality, and highlighted the dangers oflimiting patient choice.

The paper outlines a comprehensive roadmap for change, including:

  • Universal coverage for CGMs and AID systems under Medicare, Medicaid, and privateplans
  • Elimination of outdated eligibility criteria like mandatory C-peptide testing
  • Reduction of administrative burdens, including prior authorizations
  • Policies ensuring interoperability and patient choice in device selection
  • Increased education and collaboration among advocates, healthcare providers,manufacturers, and policymakers to combat stigma, bias, and inequity

“We cannot allow people with diabetes to be held hostage by discriminatory practices orinsurance-driven device switching,” said Alyce Thomas, RDN, FAND, Vice Board Chair,Diabetes Leadership Council. “Access alone is not enough. Our health system must centeraround the patient’s choice—not the payer.”

ABOUT THE WHITEPAPER

On April 29th, 2025, the Diabetes Leadership Council convened a panel of clinicians andadvocacy organizations to discuss the transformative impact of diabetes technologies on patientoutcomes. The panel identified barriers to access for widespread uptake of CGM and AIDtechnologies, outlining necessary action from policymakers, clinicians, and the broader diabetescommunity to overcome these obstacles.

The full whitepaper is available at https://bit.ly/DiabetesPatientChoice

ABOUT THE DIABETES LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

The Diabetes Leadership Council is a 501(c)(3) organization made up of people with diabetes,parents, and national diabetes policy experts. We work to reduce barriers to effective, accessible,and equitable care by uniting evidence-based research with the lived experiences of the diabetescommunity. Our mission is rooted in ensuring that every person impacted by diabetes can live afull, healthy life with the tools, treatment, and respect they deserve.

PDF

Diabetes Leadership Council Calls for Expanded Patient Choice in Diabetes Technologiesto Improve Outcomes and Equity

New Paper Highlights Barriers to Access and Urges Policymakers to Prioritize PersonalizedCare

June 20th, 2025

The Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) today released a new whitepaper, "DiabetesManagement is Not One-Size-Fits-All: The Importance of Patient Choice in Use of DiabetesTechnologies," which calls for urgent reforms to ensure equitable access and personal choice indiabetes technology for all people with diabetes.

Informed by a panel of top clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates from leading diabetesorganizations, the report details how restrictive insurance policies, administrative red tape, andinstitutional barriers are depriving patients of access to life-saving devices like continuousglucose monitors (CGMs) and automated insulin delivery (AID) systems—technologies provento reduce hospitalizations, improve glycemic control, and improve quality of life.

"Diabetes is not a one-size-fits-all condition, yet outdated policies often force patients into a onesize-fits-all approach to management," said George Huntley, CEO of the Diabetes LeadershipCouncil and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition. “People with diabetes should not be forced tosettle for outdated tools or jump through bureaucratic hoops to access these technologies. Thebest device for a person with diabetes is the device they will use. These findings demand urgentaction to tear down restrictive and outdated policies.”

KEY FINDINGS:

  • Unmet Need: Less than half of Americans with diabetes meet the A1c goal of <7%,despite technological advances.
  • Innovations Underutilized: CGM and AID systems have been proven to lower HbA1c,reduce hospitalizations, and ease the daily burden of diabetes—yet fewer than half ofeligible patients use them due to coverage gaps and administrative hurdles.
  • Choice Improves Outcomes: Patients who select their preferred devices are moreengaged, adherent, and likely to achieve glycemic targets.
  • Systemic Barriers: Restrictive insurance policies, Medicare’s outdated C-peptide testingrequirements for AID systems, and institutional bans on personal devices inhospitals/prisons exacerbate disparities, particularly for underserved communities.
  • Consequences in Action: Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program for glucose teststrips (2011) disrupted access, increased mortality, and highlighted the dangers oflimiting patient choice.

The paper outlines a comprehensive roadmap for change, including:

  • Universal coverage for CGMs and AID systems under Medicare, Medicaid, and privateplans
  • Elimination of outdated eligibility criteria like mandatory C-peptide testing
  • Reduction of administrative burdens, including prior authorizations
  • Policies ensuring interoperability and patient choice in device selection
  • Increased education and collaboration among advocates, healthcare providers,manufacturers, and policymakers to combat stigma, bias, and inequity

“We cannot allow people with diabetes to be held hostage by discriminatory practices orinsurance-driven device switching,” said Alyce Thomas, RDN, FAND, Vice Board Chair,Diabetes Leadership Council. “Access alone is not enough. Our health system must centeraround the patient’s choice—not the payer.”

ABOUT THE WHITEPAPER

On April 29th, 2025, the Diabetes Leadership Council convened a panel of clinicians andadvocacy organizations to discuss the transformative impact of diabetes technologies on patientoutcomes. The panel identified barriers to access for widespread uptake of CGM and AIDtechnologies, outlining necessary action from policymakers, clinicians, and the broader diabetescommunity to overcome these obstacles.

The full whitepaper is available at https://bit.ly/DiabetesPatientChoice

ABOUT THE DIABETES LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

The Diabetes Leadership Council is a 501(c)(3) organization made up of people with diabetes,parents, and national diabetes policy experts. We work to reduce barriers to effective, accessible,and equitable care by uniting evidence-based research with the lived experiences of the diabetescommunity. Our mission is rooted in ensuring that every person impacted by diabetes can live afull, healthy life with the tools, treatment, and respect they deserve.