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'We have to pay full price': medical device would help thousands if cheaper

People with type 2 diabetes are hospitalised twice as often as those with type 1 diabetes in the Hunter New England health district. The data has prompted renewed calls for those with type 2 diabetes to get subsidised access to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). In the Hunter New England health district, the latest data shows about 700 hospitalisations a year for type 1 diabetes and about 1400 for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes cases in the Hunter alone consist of: type 1 (4828), type 2 (36,581) and gestational (1112). Pete Holland, of Muswellbrook, lives with type 2 diabetes. Mr Holland is the afternoon announcer on 2NM, also known as Radio Hunter Valley. He started a petition, calling for equal treatment from the government. Mr Holland's condition requires him to inject insulin, similar to those with type 1 diabetes. His daughter, Kymberley Holland, 35, has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five. She has complex diabetes, which has caused kidney failure, seizures and other organ complications. "We see the same health professionals, take the same medications and manage our diabetes the same way," Mr Holland said. "But she gets her CGMs subsidised as she's type 1. "Those of us who are type 2, but have the same regimes, we still have to pay the full price." In 2022, the Albanese government enabled subsidised access to CGMs for people with type 1 diabetes. This meant they had to pay only about $400 a year. Mr Holland said if he used CGMs full-time, it would cost him about $2500 a year. He said CGMs provide "early warnings of your sugars dropping or going too high". "You're able to keep a better track record, instead of having to do finger pricks either side of meals." A parliamentary inquiry recommended last year that the government make CGMs available at a low cost for all people with diabetes. Nicole McMahon, of Diabetes Australia, said "Australia is in the midst of a type 2 diabetes epidemic". Ms McMahon said research showed CGM devices "ultimately reduce diabetes complications and hospitalisations". She said CGM devices reduced hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels by 62 per cent in the UK. "International studies show conclusively that CGM use in people living with type 2 diabetes is cost-effective and beneficial. "Long-term management of blood glucose levels is critical to reducing the risk of complications, including amputations, vision loss, and heart and kidney failure." A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the government met an election commitment to "give all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products". Ms McMahon said, "We want to work with the government on how we can deliver more subsidies in a staged, affordable way". Mr Holland has lived with type 2 diabetes for about a decade. "Unfortunately for me, it's not reversible," he said. "The longer you have diabetes, the more your body starts to break down because it can't deal with the sugars," he said. People with type 2 diabetes are hospitalised twice as often as those with type 1 diabetes in the Hunter New England health district. The data has prompted renewed calls for those with type 2 diabetes to get subsidised access to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). In the Hunter New England health district, the latest data shows about 700 hospitalisations a year for type 1 diabetes and about 1400 for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes cases in the Hunter alone consist of: type 1 (4828), type 2 (36,581) and gestational (1112). Pete Holland, of Muswellbrook, lives with type 2 diabetes. Mr Holland is the afternoon announcer on 2NM, also known as Radio Hunter Valley. He started a petition, calling for equal treatment from the government. Mr Holland's condition requires him to inject insulin, similar to those with type 1 diabetes. His daughter, Kymberley Holland, 35, has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five. She has complex diabetes, which has caused kidney failure, seizures and other organ complications. "We see the same health professionals, take the same medications and manage our diabetes the same way," Mr Holland said. "But she gets her CGMs subsidised as she's type 1. "Those of us who are type 2, but have the same regimes, we still have to pay the full price." In 2022, the Albanese government enabled subsidised access to CGMs for people with type 1 diabetes. This meant they had to pay only about $400 a year. Mr Holland said if he used CGMs full-time, it would cost him about $2500 a year. He said CGMs provide "early warnings of your sugars dropping or going too high". "You're able to keep a better track record, instead of having to do finger pricks either side of meals." A parliamentary inquiry recommended last year that the government make CGMs available at a low cost for all people with diabetes. Nicole McMahon, of Diabetes Australia, said "Australia is in the midst of a type 2 diabetes epidemic". Ms McMahon said research showed CGM devices "ultimately reduce diabetes complications and hospitalisations". She said CGM devices reduced hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels by 62 per cent in the UK. "International studies show conclusively that CGM use in people living with type 2 diabetes is cost-effective and beneficial. "Long-term management of blood glucose levels is critical to reducing the risk of complications, including amputations, vision loss, and heart and kidney failure." A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the government met an election commitment to "give all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products". Ms McMahon said, "We want to work with the government on how we can deliver more subsidies in a staged, affordable way". Mr Holland has lived with type 2 diabetes for about a decade. "Unfortunately for me, it's not reversible," he said. "The longer you have diabetes, the more your body starts to break down because it can't deal with the sugars," he said. People with type 2 diabetes are hospitalised twice as often as those with type 1 diabetes in the Hunter New England health district. The data has prompted renewed calls for those with type 2 diabetes to get subsidised access to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). In the Hunter New England health district, the latest data shows about 700 hospitalisations a year for type 1 diabetes and about 1400 for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes cases in the Hunter alone consist of: type 1 (4828), type 2 (36,581) and gestational (1112). Pete Holland, of Muswellbrook, lives with type 2 diabetes. Mr Holland is the afternoon announcer on 2NM, also known as Radio Hunter Valley. He started a petition, calling for equal treatment from the government. Mr Holland's condition requires him to inject insulin, similar to those with type 1 diabetes. His daughter, Kymberley Holland, 35, has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five. She has complex diabetes, which has caused kidney failure, seizures and other organ complications. "We see the same health professionals, take the same medications and manage our diabetes the same way," Mr Holland said. "But she gets her CGMs subsidised as she's type 1. "Those of us who are type 2, but have the same regimes, we still have to pay the full price." In 2022, the Albanese government enabled subsidised access to CGMs for people with type 1 diabetes. This meant they had to pay only about $400 a year. Mr Holland said if he used CGMs full-time, it would cost him about $2500 a year. He said CGMs provide "early warnings of your sugars dropping or going too high". "You're able to keep a better track record, instead of having to do finger pricks either side of meals." A parliamentary inquiry recommended last year that the government make CGMs available at a low cost for all people with diabetes. Nicole McMahon, of Diabetes Australia, said "Australia is in the midst of a type 2 diabetes epidemic". Ms McMahon said research showed CGM devices "ultimately reduce diabetes complications and hospitalisations". She said CGM devices reduced hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels by 62 per cent in the UK. "International studies show conclusively that CGM use in people living with type 2 diabetes is cost-effective and beneficial. "Long-term management of blood glucose levels is critical to reducing the risk of complications, including amputations, vision loss, and heart and kidney failure." A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the government met an election commitment to "give all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products". Ms McMahon said, "We want to work with the government on how we can deliver more subsidies in a staged, affordable way". Mr Holland has lived with type 2 diabetes for about a decade. "Unfortunately for me, it's not reversible," he said. "The longer you have diabetes, the more your body starts to break down because it can't deal with the sugars," he said. People with type 2 diabetes are hospitalised twice as often as those with type 1 diabetes in the Hunter New England health district. The data has prompted renewed calls for those with type 2 diabetes to get subsidised access to continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). In the Hunter New England health district, the latest data shows about 700 hospitalisations a year for type 1 diabetes and about 1400 for type 2 diabetes. Diabetes cases in the Hunter alone consist of: type 1 (4828), type 2 (36,581) and gestational (1112). Pete Holland, of Muswellbrook, lives with type 2 diabetes. Mr Holland is the afternoon announcer on 2NM, also known as Radio Hunter Valley. He started a petition, calling for equal treatment from the government. Mr Holland's condition requires him to inject insulin, similar to those with type 1 diabetes. His daughter, Kymberley Holland, 35, has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five. She has complex diabetes, which has caused kidney failure, seizures and other organ complications. "We see the same health professionals, take the same medications and manage our diabetes the same way," Mr Holland said. "But she gets her CGMs subsidised as she's type 1. "Those of us who are type 2, but have the same regimes, we still have to pay the full price." In 2022, the Albanese government enabled subsidised access to CGMs for people with type 1 diabetes. This meant they had to pay only about $400 a year. Mr Holland said if he used CGMs full-time, it would cost him about $2500 a year. He said CGMs provide "early warnings of your sugars dropping or going too high". "You're able to keep a better track record, instead of having to do finger pricks either side of meals." A parliamentary inquiry recommended last year that the government make CGMs available at a low cost for all people with diabetes. Nicole McMahon, of Diabetes Australia, said "Australia is in the midst of a type 2 diabetes epidemic". Ms McMahon said research showed CGM devices "ultimately reduce diabetes complications and hospitalisations". She said CGM devices reduced hospital admissions due to hypoglycaemia or dangerously low blood glucose levels by 62 per cent in the UK. "International studies show conclusively that CGM use in people living with type 2 diabetes is cost-effective and beneficial. "Long-term management of blood glucose levels is critical to reducing the risk of complications, including amputations, vision loss, and heart and kidney failure." A spokesperson for federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the government met an election commitment to "give all 130,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes access to subsidised CGM products". Ms McMahon said, "We want to work with the government on how we can deliver more subsidies in a staged, affordable way". Mr Holland has lived with type 2 diabetes for about a decade. "Unfortunately for me, it's not reversible," he said. "The longer you have diabetes, the more your body starts to break down because it can't deal with the sugars," he said.