More Type 2 Diabetes Patients to Get Glucose Monitors with Updated Medicare Policy

According to a policy update recently published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service, a wider range of patients will have access to continuous glucose monitors. This sooner-than-expected announcement, which could effectively double the market for the devices, caught the likes of Abbott Laboratories and Dexcom off-guard. They, along with many other medtech makers, were eyeing a mid-2023 coverage change, and now the policy is expected to take effect on April 16.

Dexcom, for its part, is projecting that this will help accelerate commercial efforts to the point of adding at least another 5,000 patients right after the switch. The company’s top brass estimate that the larger swath of potential device users could bring in roughly 1% of revenue for the year to the tune of 12,000 total added patients.

The broader language used in the new guidelines includes individuals with non-insulin treated diabetes as well as a history of recurrent level-2 or at least one level-3 hypoglycemic event. An earlier draft called for simply covering daily insulin takers or those dealing with problematic hypoglycemia. Commercial insurers might end up offering broader coverage thanks to the looser language featured in the policy update.