Diabetes Health Equity Initiative

Diabetes is a nationwide epidemic. Approximately 38 million Americans were diagnosed with diabetes in 2021 with 1.2 million new cases each year.

Individuals with diabetes have elevated blood glucose that, without proper care and monitoring, increases the risk of heart disease, limb amputation, blindness and death.

Blood glucose monitoring has moved away from finger-sticks and ineffective metering  to  continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) that offer real-time blood glucose management that are proven to improve patient outcomes.

CGMs are currently covered by Medicare and most states’ Medicaid programs. However, Colorado’s Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) has not taken the critical step to improve access to CGMs for Coloradans with diabetes. This means our state is not taking advantage of this nationally recognized standard of care to improve health outcomes and lower costs.

By not providing Medicaid patients with adequate CGM access, the state has effectively proliferated a two-tiered health care system of private insurance “haves” and Medicaid “have-nots” that is ruled by a patient’s checkbook and not their medical need.

Our Diabetes Health Equity Initiative aims to call public attention to the impact of high diabetes prevalence, limited access to critical care, and lower standards of care on rural and BIPOC communities, and expectant moms. Join us and urge immediate action by our elected leaders to ensure health equity and access for Coloradans!

Add your name to the Diabetes Health Equity petition.

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