Victoria – The provincial government is expanding insulin pump coverage, so any British Columbian requiring one to manage diabetes will have access under PharmaCare, announced Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.
With this change in coverage, taking effect on July 3, 2018, British Columbia becomes one of only three provinces to cover insulin pumps for people living with diabetes requiring one, regardless of age. Approximately 485,000 British Columbians live with diabetes. It is expected that roughly 830 adults over 25 years of age will benefit from the expansion in the first year.
While not required for all individuals diagnosed with diabetes, insulin pumps offer many people a reliable and stable way of monitoring and scheduling insulin doses, which can have a positive impact on one’s quality of life. Insulin pumps can range in cost from approximately $6,000 to $7,000, and require replacing roughly every five years.
- This announcement expands the insulin pump program which, when introduced in 2008, provided coverage to children up to the age of 18. The age restriction was then expanded in 2014 to include those living with Type 1 diabetes, or other forms of diabetes requiring insulin that meet specific criteria, up to the age of 25.
