The diabetes community has been set ablaze after UnitedHealthcare announced an agreement for Medtronic devices to be the “preferred” in-network, durable medical equipment (DME) provider of insulin pumps. Starting July 1, 2016, UnitedHealthcare patients will be funneled toward using a Medtronic insulin pump instead of offerings from manufacturers like Tandem and Animas.
Many diabetes advocates have eloquently voiced their outrage and have been rallying under the hashtags #MyPumpMyChoice and #AccessMatters, and I strongly echo their sentiment that this policy puts “profits before patients.” It’s unacceptable, and both UnitedHealthcare and Medtronic deserve any negative publicity that results from such a short-sighted decision.
To add another layer to the discussion, though, what I find particularly insightful about the controversy is that it highlights the distinction between medication and medical technology. I rarely blink an eye when my patient has to switch brands of insulin, so why is it such a big deal when they have to switch brands of insulin pumps?
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