Medicare to cover integrated CGM system for beneficiaries with diabetes
A next-generation integrated continuous glucose monitoring system is now available for Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, according to an industry press release.
CMS approved reimbursement for the FreeStyle Libre 2 (Abbott), expanding access of the integrated CGM system, or iCGM, to Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.
"Abbott designed the FreeStyle Libre portfolio for performance, access and affordability to make it broadly available to people with diabetes who need it," Jared Watkin, senior vice president for diabetes care at Abbott, said in the release. "By securing reimbursement, Abbott is making sure our latest life-changing technology can get to everyone who needs it, whether they're children, adults or seniors eligible for Medicare."
As Healio previously reported, the FDA cleared the iCGM system in June for adults and children aged 4 years and older with diabetes. The FreeStyle Libre 2 iCGM is the only system with optional, real-time alarms that measure glucose levels every minute. The system has a 14-day wear time, making it the longest-lasting, self-applied iCGM available, according to Abbott.
The pandemic is changing the way health care is delivered, with greater acceptance of telehealth and medical technologies with remote monitoring capabilities, such as CGMs. During the public health emergency, CMS is giving health care professionals more flexibility to prescribe CGMs to those who qualify. The FDA is also allowing the FreeStyle Libre system to be used in hospital settings during the pandemic, part of a larger effort to make glucose monitoring safer for hospital staff.
Collapse
Read more about