Lift ban on GPs approving patient access to continuous glucose monitors, review told

Vulnerable patients miss out on care because of the current restrictions to the NDSS, says the RACGP.
Dr Nicole Higgins.

The ban on GPs approving access to continuous glucose monitors under the National Diabetes Services Scheme has made them inaccessible for vulnerable patients, the RACGP says.

The Federal Government is currently reviewing the range of National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS)-subsidised products, which was expanded last year to cover continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices for all adults.

Under the NDSS, patients pay around $30 a month for CGM rather than $400 a month or more on the private market.

There are more than 100,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes but only diabetes educators, nurse practitioners specialising in diabetes care, endocrinologists and paediatricans can sign off the paperwork.