Saskatchewan Party Will Improve Supports For Persons With Diabetes

A re-elected Saskatchewan Party government will help with the cost of living with diabetes by expanding the Saskatchewan Insulin Pump Program and covering the cost of Continuous Glucose Monitoring systems for children under 18.

"We understand that people with diabetes face unique challenges so the Saskatchewan Party wants to help them manage their diabetes by reducing some of the financial burden," said Premier Scott Moe. "We will do that by covering the cost of insulin pumps for all ages and covering the cost of continuous glucose monitoring for children and youth."

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 is expected to benefit about 400 individuals.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems are a relatively new technology that allows users, and those they share the information with like parents and caregivers, to monitor glucose levels in real-time throughout the day and receive the information via technology like smart phones. This is especially beneficial for parents with young children who can monitor their child's glucose levels throughout the day, including when the child is asleep.

The incremental 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.

"Making life more affordable and helping Saskatchewan residents manage their diabetes - it's part of our plan for a strong Saskatchewan."

Backgrounder: Reducing the Costs of Managing Diabetes