Endocrinologists, diabetes educators join call for health coverage that works for people with T1D
NEW YORK, August 31, 2017 - JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, today announced that 12 major diabetes and health groups have signed on as partners to its #Coverage2Control campaign calling on insurance companies to provide better health coverage for the 1.25 million Americans living with type 1 diabetes.
Coverage2Control, launched in May, has the support of more than 52,000 people who have signed JDRF’s petition urging insurance companies to provide coverage that works for people with T1D. Petition supporters come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Once again, the diabetes community has come together to make their voices heard,” said Derek Rapp, president and CEO of JDRF. “People with type 1 diabetes too often face restrictions that prevent them from accessing the tools they need to live. It’s time for insurance companies to do what’s right, and what’s smart for their bottom line: provide the coverage that people with T1D need to stay healthy.”
The 12 organizations joining #Coverage2Control are: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American Association of Diabetes Educators, Children with Diabetes, College Diabetes Network, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Diabetes Sisters, The diaTribe Foundation, Endocrine Society, National Diabetes Volunteer Leadership Council, T1D Exchange, Team Type 1 Foundation and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
“The Endocrine Society strongly supports efforts to secure appropriate insurance coverage for patients with type 1 diabetes,” said Society President Lynnette K. Nieman, MD. “It is vital that patients have access to the potentially life-saving tools they need to manage their diabetes. Additionally, such coverage will help patients spend more time at home with their families and less time in the hospital.”
As the debate on healthcare has stalled in Washington, supporters are rallying around #Coverage2Control to highlight meaningful, realistic actions that insurers can take now to make a difference for the T1D community. These include making out-of-pocket costs for insulin and other life-saving diabetes tools more predictable and reasonable, ensuring people have the freedom to choose the insulin pump that’s right for them, and covering artificial pancreas systems, a life-changing breakthrough that is quickly improving the lives of people with T1D. These three steps will help people with T1D lead healthier lives and ultimately lower costs for insurance companies as costly complications are avoided.
“AADE fully supports the goals of Coverage2Control, which aim to ensure that people living with type 1 diabetes have access to affordable medications, the freedom to choose the tools that work best for them and access to critical new technologies,” said Charles Macfarlane, FACHE, CAE, chief executive officer of the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
Supporters of #Coverage2Control have actively engaged on social media to highlight the increasing difficulty of managing T1D and how insurers can help. Many have shared personal stories of how, despite new technologies, T1D has become even harder to manage as costs have soared and insurers have limited choice and coverage of life-saving technology. Yet, these limits are short-sighted. Good coverage helps people with T1D avoid costly emergency room visits, inpatient admissions, and other complications. Keeping people healthy and productive reduces overall healthcare costs and is better for the economy.
New supporters of #Coverage2Control can still sign the petition, and JDRF invites people to continue sharing their stories on social media using the hashtag #Coverage2Control. To stay updated, visit Coverage2Control.com.
ABOUT T1D
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent T1D, and - at present - nothing you can do to get rid of it.
ABOUT JDRF
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. To accomplish this, JDRF has invested more than $2 billion in research funding since our inception. We are an organization built on a grassroots model of people connecting in their local communities, collaborating regionally for efficiency and broader fundraising impact, and uniting on a national stage to pool resources, passion, and energy. We collaborate with academic institutions, policymakers, and corporate and industry partners to develop and deliver a pipeline of innovative therapies to people living with T1D. Our staff and volunteers throughout the United States and our six international affiliates are dedicated to advocacy, community engagement and our vision of a world without T1D. For more information, please visit jdrf.org or follow us on Twitter: @JDRF.
Media Contact:
Kristy Evans
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Email: kevans@jdrf.org
Eva Fowler
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Email: eva@crosscutstrategies.com
