Cheaper access to diabetes products for more than 600,000 Australians

The Federal Government will implement changes to the list of subsidised items available through the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) from 1 December.
 
Although more than 95% of people registered with the NDSS will not be affected by the changes, there are still up to 600,000 that are likely to see some savings as a result.
 
‘The management of diabetes requires constant self-care and monitoring and if complications develop, [it] can have a significant impact on quality of life and can reduce life expectancy,’ Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said.
 
‘These changes will reduce the costs for many families around Australians who are managing their diabetes.’
 
The products affected by this change include blood glucose test strips, which will reduce by $2 for general patients, and insulin pump infusion sets, which will reduce by $4.70.
 
‘A patient with type 1 diabetes who uses an insulin pump and is a moderate to high user of blood glucose test strips per day will save $10.50 per month or $126.50 per year under the changes to concessional payments,’ Minister Hunt said.
 
‘A person with type 1 diabetes who uses 10 blood glucose test strips per day will save up to $73 per year under changes to the general classification.’
 
Urine ketone test strips, insulin pump consumables and continuous glucose monitoring products, items that are all listed on the NDSS, will undergo no changes in price or availability.
 
Some people will need to change the brand of product they use in order to access the savings. The Government said it is working with Diabetes Australia and other key stakeholders on how best to communicate this information to NDSS registrants.
 
More information about the changes to the NDSS Product Schedule is available on the NDSS or Department of Health websites.

diabetes National Diabetes Services Scheme