A woman with type 1 diabetes has called on Health Minister Neofytos Charalambides to intervene over concerns that patients could soon be required to pay to continue using glucose monitoring systems currently provided without charge under Gesy.
In an open letter dated 18 September, Maria Ioannou warns that a recent Health Insurance Organisation (HIO) tender could result in a co-payment being introduced even for a system currently available to patients at no additional cost.
“Instead of moving towards the inclusion of newer and more advanced technologies, we are losing even what we had until now taken for granted,” she said.
The letter was also sent to the President of the Republic, the HIO and the House Health Committee.
Concern over potential costs
Ioannou said the glucose monitoring system potentially affected is currently used by the large majority of patients.
She does not claim that a charge has already been introduced. Instead, she is seeking action before patients are faced with the choice of paying extra or abandoning a system they are already accustomed to using.
For people with diabetes, she argues, continuous glucose monitoring is not a luxury. Monitoring takes place throughout the day and night and affects their safety and their ability to manage everyday life.
She therefore questions any policy under which co-payments could steer patients towards the cheapest available option.
“The co-payment cannot become a mechanism for directing the patient’s choice,” she said.
According to Ioannou, the suitability of a system should be determined by the patient's individual needs, the recommendation of their treating doctor and the characteristics of the technology, rather than by how much the patient can afford.
Calls for access to newer technology
Her criticism extends beyond the prospect of additional charges.
Ioannou argues that HIO policies have not substantially expanded patients’ access to more advanced glucose-monitoring technologies and that appropriate quality and technological criteria were not incorporated into planning early enough.
She questions whether price will ultimately determine which technology patients are able to use.
Seeks permanent zero co-payment
Ioannou is asking the Health Minister to issue a decree providing for zero co-payment on all medical devices and healthcare supplies provided through Gesy to people with diabetes.
She specifically names:
- Insulin pumps
- Continuous glucose monitoring systems
- Related consumables
She wants the exemption to apply regardless of the patient’s age or whether a cheaper alternative is available on the list.
Until a permanent arrangement is introduced, she is asking the minister to instruct the HIO to ensure that no patient is required to pay to continue using the system they already have.
Ioannou also argues that the choice of system should remain a decision between the patient and treating doctor and should not change according to the duration of a contract or the outcome of individual procurement tenders.
In her letter, she cites provisions of Gesy legislation which she argues allow the minister to intervene without the need for new legislation.
She also refers to Greece, where, according to her letter, diabetes patients do not contribute towards the cost of their consumable medical supplies.
Ioannou describes the issue as a political decision and is seeking a public response from the Health Minister.
