Germany’s Ministry of Health Updates Reimbursement Policy to Include Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Systems
The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) began their CGM treatment method assessment in 2011 and concluded that patients with insulin-dependent diabetes can better control their HbA1c value without serious hypoglycemia with CGM.1 This assessment and outcomes led Germany’s Ministry of Health to update its reimbursement policy to include Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGM) in September 2016, putting the technology in the hands of many who could not previously afford it.
The new reimbursement policy in Germany only covers technologies that provide alarms and alerts about glucose levels. Germany is the single largest market in Europe for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, with nearly 6.6 million people living with the disease, according to the International Diabetes Federation.
The Dexcom G5® Mobile CGM System and Dexcom G4® PLATINUM will be Included among the CGM devices that will be reimbursed by Germany's Medical Department of the Central Federal Association of Health Insurance Funds.
Leading Payer Strategies to Improve CGM Patient Access
The Opportunity
- Removal of BG log requirements
The Rationale
- During the onset of hypoglycemic symptoms, patients seek immediate treatment without always confirming the low on a blood glucose (BG) meter
- Generally only one of multiple meters used are downloaded
- The average individual with type 1 diabetes experiences about two episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia per week2
The Opportunity
- Removal of prior authorizations
The Rationale
- Prior authorizations add to the administrative and workflow burden incurred by all parties
- An authorization is largely a manual process which is time-consuming and expensive costing payer organizations as much as $340 PMPY3
- Consensus statements from endocrine leaders point to the many benefits with AACE calling for wider use of CGM in diabetes treatment, because it improves outcomes by reducing hypoglycemia4
Dexcom is Helping Lower CGM Access Barriers
- Dexcom has contracts/contracted with the Top 4 PBMs in the country5
- Coverage of CGM for type 1 diabetes is offered for 98% of commercially insured members, and many plans also provide coverage for members with insulin-using type 2 diabetes.5
- 20 million patients with type 2 diabetes have access to Dexcom CGM6
- 23 states have an official CGM Medicaid coverage policy. An additional 9 states have limited access to Pediatrics <21 through the EPSDT program7
- The only CGM solution with Medicare Part B reimbursement8