Ministry of Health

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As of November 1, beneficiaries of the National Health Fund (NHF) will pay less for medications and diabetic monitoring supplies following an 80 per cent increase in the subsidy paid by the NHF.

Chief Executive Officer of the NHF, Rae Barrett who made the announcement at a press breakfast at the Terra Nova Hotel in today also outlined that there would be new additions to the NHF drug list and for the first time beneficiaries would receive, free of cost, certain devices to assist individuals in the monitoring and management of diabetes.

Mr. Barrett explained that when the NHF began operations, the subsidy offered averaged 35 per cent of the cost of reference price of the drugs on the NHF drug list. However last October, this was increased to approximately 50 per cent of the reference price of the drugs.

Diabetic monitoring supplies covered under the 80 per cent subsidy include non-prescription supplies such as test strips for measuring blood or urine sugar levels; lancets for pricking the skin to obtain the droplet of blood; and syringes or needles used to administer insulin dosages to better monitor and manage diabetes. There will however be annual limits for the amount of items to be purchased under the plan.

"To use the test strips, patients need Glucometers to read the sugar level and in the case of insulin delivery systems, penfill applicators are used with needles to deliver the insulin dosage. I am pleased to announce that these devices will be offered free of charge to NHF beneficiaries by distributors/manufacturers," Mr. Barrett explained.

He explained that to receive these items, the beneficiary must first seek advice from his/her medical doctor or pharmacist on the purpose and use of the device as the NHF would not be involved in that decision making process.

Once the decision is taken, the beneficiary should provide the NHF representatives with their name, card number, the brand name of the device they wish to have as well as contact information.

"The NHF will validate that the beneficiary's information is valid and enrolled for Diabetes and in the case of requests for the Penfill applicator that they are on insulin. Once the verification gives the green light the NHF will pass the information to the appropriate Distributor. The distributor will contact the beneficiary and arrange for delivery of the item," he explained.

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