Aetna and Medtronic will work with doctors beginning March 2014 in a new program to reach up to 300 fully insured members with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes who may improve their health using insulin pump therapy.
Eligible members will receive targeted education, case management and other patient support to help control blood sugar, which also may lower their health care costs. Information gathered from the program also is expected to help doctors and other health care providers more easily identify and support those who can benefit most from this therapy.
Using claims data, Aetna will identify members who may be good candidates for insulin pumps and, with Medtronic, will notify their doctors about the program. If a doctor and member decide to use a Medtronic insulin pump, the member will be enrolled in Medtronic’s Getting2GoalSM program, designed to help simplify insulin pump therapy.
Additionally members benefit from StartRightSM, Medtronic’s comprehensive and personalized onboarding program to help increase success, confidence and engagement in transitioning to insulin pump therapy.
Medtronic Diabetes business global clinical affairs vice president and chief medical officer Dr Francine Kaufman noted insulin pumps have been shown to improve glucose control in people with insulin-dependent diabetes and better glucose control reduces the risk of diabetes complications.
"By working with Aetna, we look forward to supporting health care providers and patients so that they can enjoy the quality of life that can come from fewer hospital visits, better glucose control and a simplified diabetes management routine," Dr Kaufman added.
The program is expected to run for two years. Aetna and Medtronic will evaluate the rate of success in glucose control among participants and determine the impact of the program on overall health outcomes and medical costs such as reduced ER and hospital stays and optimized diabetes medication regimens.