B.C. Province will Cover Insulin Pump Costs for Under 18

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If, you are a diabetic under eighteen in B.C., very soon you won’t have to pay for insulin pumps and pump supplies, as the province intends to pick up the tab.

Delivering measured insulin doses in place of injections, the pumps allow better blood sugar level control in diabetics, thus reducing the development of long-term complications from diabetes. Costing about $6,500 each, the programme expects to cover 200 patients, at an annual cost of about $1.5-million. As well, diabetics using disposable pumps that need to be replaced after every three days, will be allowed to maintain insulin reserves covered under the new programme.

Helping patients save close to $700 annually, Health Minister George Abbott, announcing the programme on World Diabetes Day, says the government hopes to reduce the heavy financial and emotional toll diabetes causes.