Is there a consensus on funding for sensors across different regions?

[daducky88]

Hi All

I'm due for a chat with my DSN at my request next week re a new pump as medtronic tell I'm due a replacement.
medtronic described the 670g which sounds interesting, but back when I started the 640g a few years ago sensors had to be paid for by the patient and the system wasn't closed loop.
The only use I could therefore see with sensors is to save one's fingers and burning through test strips.
However with the 670g it integrates the results in the dose and adjusts automatically.

So a few questions arise:
i) are sensors free to all pumpers yet
ii) if not, is there consensus on what clinical conditions determine them being prescribed free
iii) if there is no consensus, what conditions in your region determine receipt/ denial of free prescribing of sensors and what county are you in

I appreciate some / all of these questions have been addressed through different questions but it be nice to have em all under the one question too.
Thanks very much

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Using Enlite sensors with MM640G gives you SmartGuard ‘predictive glucose suspend’ so is a type of hybrid closed loop. MM670 is also able to add insulin at the top end as well as shut off basal to avoid hypos (there’s quite a bit more to auto more than that, but that’s essentially it).

Libre sensors have mandatory national criteria, but all other glucose sensors are much harder to come by and it’s very much a postcode lottery for the time being.

NICE guidance is being reviewed for T1 in the light of new tech, but that will most likely be years, not months until it’s published.

You should speak to your hospital clinic, consultant and also possibly INPUT who might be able to give pointers for access in your area. Most likely you would need to secure and Individual Funding Request I think.

 

[SB2015]

I have recently been told that I might be able to get 670 but it would require me to self fund the sensors which the pump depends on. I am leaning toward a 640 and using sensors intermittently.

I am not due a replacement until next Feb, and who knows what will have changed by then. I would never have dreamed that there would have been the increased access to Libre (I know that there is still a long way to go with this). Things are just changing so quickly.