Insulin Pump Subsidies - 2004

Insulin Pump Supplies

Subsidised from 1 September 2004

Whichever way you vote, the 2004 Federal Budget presented very exciting news for everyone with type 1 diabetes. After many years of lobbying by many individuals and organisations, insulin pump supplies will now be subsidised by the government, just like needles!

How Does it all Work?

Everyone (new and existing pump users) need to fill out a form, and have it signed by an endocrinologist or diabetes educator before you can order subsidised stuff through the NDSS (via Diabetes Australia).

Click here to download the Registration form! (PDF File, 171KB)

And then there's a new form to order pump supplies too:
Click here to download the Pump Order form (PDF File, 935KB)

Existing Pump Users at 1 September all Eligible
(with Completed Form)
The wording is a litle bit more complex but the elgibility criteria contains a section addressing existing pump users making them/us eligible without additional review, on the assumption that ceasing pump therapy would have an adverse affect on health.

Several questions on the form do not need to be completed by existing pump users - it's quite simple for you/us.

How Often do I Need to Fill out the Form?

There is no mention anywhere that the form needs to be completed more than once. If this changes, we'll be sure to let you know, and NDSS will surely write to you. But it appears to just be a matter of "registering" once.

More about the Eligibility Criteria

Detailed criteria for eligibility are now available.

They require comprehensive education about insulin pump therapy for all.
All children under 18 are then eligible. A specific allowance for 18 year-olds transitioning to adult care also exists.
All pregnant women with diabetes (gestational or Type 1) are eligible, with review at 6 months after birth.

Specific elibility criteria have been documented for Adults with Type 1 - however they appear to be quite generous, so no need for concern!

The procedure remains that a doctor needs to complete the form explained at (1) for everyone to qualify.

The full Eligibility Criteria can be viewed by downloading a PDF here.
www.d1.org.au/PumpEligibilityCriteria.pdf
(Same document as is part of the Assessment Form above.)

More details on the Procedure

Diabetes Australia has produced a flowchart of the assessment procedure for all the different groups of people which is way more detail than most of us need to know, but just in case you're super keen, Click here to download a flowchart.

Still Got Questions?

Diabetes Australia has produced a Frequently Asked Questions sheet available in PDF form. Click here.

Getting the Form Completed by 1st September

Some ideas that might help:

If you have email contact with your diabetes educator or endocrinologist, PDF files can be saved and emailed on by clicking on the button in Acrobat which looks like a floppy disk. Save it to your computer and attach to an email.
If you have recently had an appointment with your endo or educator they may be comfortable enough to complete it and send back to you, and save you and them another appointment. No guarantee but worth a try!
Diabetes Educators can be found at every major public hospital, if you don't currently have access to your educator or endo for whatever reason. Call your nearest hospital and ask to page the Diabetes Educator during business hours. Many have an open door policy and may allow you to drop in to get help with having your form completed.

More Background

The new arrangements will take effect from 1 September 2004.
The government has allocated $15.3 million for the program over 4 years.
(The cost of the insulin pump itself will not be subsidised, though people with private health insurance will continue to be reimbursed for the initial purchase of the pump.)
The cost of running a pump will be reduced to about $15 a month.

For more information on insulin pumps

Start here:
Insulin Delivery Options article on Reality Check

Type 1 Diabetes