Protecting Patient Choice in Diabetes Technology: Joint Statement on CMS Proposed Rule

Protecting Patient Choice in Diabetes Technology: Joint Statement on CMS Proposed Rule

July 3, 2025

The Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) are deeplyconcerned about the proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to includecontinuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps in the Competitive Bidding Program (CBP)under Medicare. While we support lowering out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, we urgecaution to ensure this does not come at the expense of patient choice and access to individualized care.

Diabetes is a complex, highly personalized condition—what works for one person may not work foranother. Studies show that previous attempts to do this through the CBP led to a narrowing of patients’ability to access the diabetes devices that work best for them, undermining treatment adherence leadingto poor health outcomes and increased mortality. We cannot afford to repeat those mistakes.

We appreciate CMS for recognizing the importance of patient choice by proposing changes that wouldallow individuals to switch devices more frequently than every five years. However, the reduction ofsuppliers—along with other unintended consequences of the proposal, such as disincentivizinginnovation—may disrupt patient access and limit choice. DLC’s recent white paper, DiabetesManagement is Not One-Size-Fits-All, highlights the crucial role of patient choice and the real-worldbarriers patients face in accessing the technologies that keep them healthy and independent. Evidenceconsistently shows that when people are empowered to use the device that best fits their lifestyle andmedical needs, health outcomes improve.

The best device for a person with diabetes is the one they will use. Limiting those options risksdisrupting disease management, increasing complications, and driving up long-term care costs. We willbe watching closely when CMS releases additional details about the upcoming CBP and will beengaging with CMS through every step of the process to prevent any disruption to patient choice andaccess.

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Protecting Patient Choice in Diabetes Technology: Joint Statement on CMS Proposed Rule

July 3, 2025

The Diabetes Leadership Council (DLC) and Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC) are deeplyconcerned about the proposed rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to includecontinuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and insulin pumps in the Competitive Bidding Program (CBP)under Medicare. While we support lowering out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, we urgecaution to ensure this does not come at the expense of patient choice and access to individualized care.

Diabetes is a complex, highly personalized condition—what works for one person may not work foranother. Studies show that previous attempts to do this through the CBP led to a narrowing of patients’ability to access the diabetes devices that work best for them, undermining treatment adherence leadingto poor health outcomes and increased mortality. We cannot afford to repeat those mistakes.

We appreciate CMS for recognizing the importance of patient choice by proposing changes that wouldallow individuals to switch devices more frequently than every five years. However, the reduction ofsuppliers—along with other unintended consequences of the proposal, such as disincentivizinginnovation—may disrupt patient access and limit choice. DLC’s recent white paper, DiabetesManagement is Not One-Size-Fits-All, highlights the crucial role of patient choice and the real-worldbarriers patients face in accessing the technologies that keep them healthy and independent. Evidenceconsistently shows that when people are empowered to use the device that best fits their lifestyle andmedical needs, health outcomes improve.

The best device for a person with diabetes is the one they will use. Limiting those options risksdisrupting disease management, increasing complications, and driving up long-term care costs. We willbe watching closely when CMS releases additional details about the upcoming CBP and will beengaging with CMS through every step of the process to prevent any disruption to patient choice andaccess.