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On November 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized plans to include continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps in a competitive bidding program which will change the way that these items are delivered to Medicare beneficiaries. The Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) remain deeply concerned that these ill-considered changes will disrupt Medicare beneficiary access to these critical, lifesaving technologies as well as pose a risk to patient safety.
Since the proposed rule was issued, DLC and DPAC have continued our advocacy efforts with Members of Congress and the Trump Administration to ensure CMS takes into account the interruption to care and limitations to access for people with diabetes that will result from the rule. Under the rule, Medicare beneficiaries will no longer own their diabetes devices, instead renting them from their Medicare supplier. These suppliers will be responsible for all support and maintenance of these highly technical devices instead of the device manufacturers, causing a dramatic shift in the way the system currently operates. This will not only result in worse patient health outcomes due to interrupted access but will very likely lead to increased costs to Medicare, completely negating the intent of the program.
We are extremely disappointed that CMS did not take into consideration the negative effects the program will have on Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes when finalizing the program, especially given the thousands of comments received from the diabetes community highlighting these impacts. The concerns and needs of the diabetes community must be taken into account when making such significant changes to care delivery. We urge CMS to work more closely with the diabetes community as they implement these changes to avoid these potentially deadly outcomes.
