Coverage for Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Treated with Nonintensive Therapies: An Evidence-Based Approach to Policymaking

A Randomized Clinical Trial of a Culturally Tailored Diabetes Education Curriculum With and Without Real-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring in a Latino Population With Type 2 Diabetes: The CUT-DM With Continuous Glucose Monitoring Study

BACKGROUND

Data on culturally tailored diabetes education with and without real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM) in Latinos with type 2 diabetes, who are not on intensive insulin management, is lacking.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This is an open-label randomized control trial of Latinos with uncontrolled (HbA1c > 8.0%) type 2 diabetes conducted in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). All participants received 12 one-hour culturally tailored education sessions. Patients were randomized (1:1) to education sessions only (blinded CGM) or cyclic (50 days wear: 10 days on, 7 days off) RT-CGM. The primary outcome was a change in HbA1c from baseline to 12 weeks in those with or without CGM. Secondary outcomes included 24-week HbA1c, CGM, and metabolic parameters.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 120) were 46 years old on average, 44% female, 98% preferred Spanish language, 30% with income <$25,000, 68% uninsured and 26% using basal insulin only. Mean 1-hour session attendance and RT-CGM wear was 7.0 (±4.4) and 27.9 (±20.5) days, respectively. Mean baseline HbA1c was 10.5% (±1.8). HbA1c reduced by 1.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-2.3) overall (P < .001). Participants in the RT-CGM group reduced HbA1c at 12 weeks by 2.3% (95% CI: 1.5-3.2) compared to 1.5% (95% CI: 0.6-2.3) in the blinded CGM group (P =.04). At 24 weeks, overall HbA1c reduction was maintained but between-group differences attenuated.

CONCLUSIONS

In a Latino type 2 diabetes population that was primarily noninsulin-requiring, virtually delivered, culturally tailored education improved HbA1c, with RT-CGM conferring greater improvement. RT-CGM should be an adjunctive therapy to diabetes education, irrespective of insulin use but continued cyclic CGM use may be needed for sustained effect.

Addressing the Diabetes Tsunami Requires Expanded Access to Diabetes Technologies

The use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and automated insulin delivery (AID) technologies can improve patient outcomes and overall quality of life while helping to reduce the long-term costs. However, current eligibility criteria imposed by many major commercial insurers limit access to these technologies among a large portion of the diabetes population. This narrative review and commentary highlights the evidence supporting the use of CGM and AID in the various diabetes populations, discuss the current eligibility criteria that make these technologies inaccessible to individuals who would benefit, and present recommendations for modifying these criteria.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring to Guide Food Choices and Diabetes Self-Care in People with Type 2 Diabetes not Taking Insulin

Objective: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is an effective tool for individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on insulin. This study evaluated the effect of using CGM to reduce hyperglycemia, by focusing on food and lifestyle choices, in people with T2D not taking insulin. Methods: A 6-month randomized, prospective four-center study was conducted. The primary end point was a within-group reduction in time above range >180 mg/dL (TAR180) at 3 months. Participants were asked not to make diabetes medication changes in the first 3 months. Seventy-two adults not on insulin or sulfonylurea therapy, with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 7.5%-12%, were randomized to use CGM alone (n = 31) or CGM plus a food logging app (n = 41) to aid diabetes management. Participants attended guided education visits. Differences in CGM metrics, HbA1c, and body weight were compared. Results: The CGM alone group decreased TAR180 from 55% at baseline to 27% at 3 months (P < 0.001) and 21% at 6 months (P < 0.001); the CGM plus food logging app group decreased TAR180 from 53% at baseline to 30% at both 3 and 6 months (P < 0.001 for both). For all participants, time in range (70-180 mg/dL) increased from 46% at baseline to 71% at 3 months (P < 0.001) and to 72% at 6 months (P < 0.001). HbA1c and weight were reduced by 1.3% (P < 0.001) and 7 pounds (lbs.) (P < 0.001) for all participants at 6 months. Conclusion: People with T2D not taking insulin showed large, clinically significant improvements in CGM metrics and HbA1c when using either CGM alone or with a food logging app. This occurred with a near absence of medication changes in the first 3 months and were therefore likely due to changes in food and/or lifestyle choices.

Use of Glucose Monitoring Devices Among Adults with Diabetes in Germany: Results from Nationwide Surveys Conducted in 2017 and 2021/2022

Background: Devices for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have been developed to optimize blood glucose control and liberate people with diabetes from finger-prick glucose measurements. Since 2016, the devices have been reimbursed in Germany for people with diabetes receiving insulin therapy, resulting in their increased use among people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We investigated the prevalence of CGM use and its associated factors among German adults with diabetes in 2017 and 2021/2022. Methods: Participants aged 18 years or older with diagnosed diabetes were identified from two nationwide population-based telephone surveys in 2017 (n = 1396) and 2021/2022 (n = 1456). Prevalence and dynamics of CGM use were examined overall and stratified by sociodemographic and diabetes-related characteristics. Factors associated with CGM use were obtained from logistic regression models. Results: The overall prevalence of CGM use was 8.2% in 2017 and 16.6% in 2021/2022. An increase in CGM use was observed across all the subgroups except for those without antidiabetic medications. CGM use increased from 31.1% to 75.4% in adults with T1D, from 6.3% to 13.6% in adults with T2D, and from 14.6% to 36.7% in all insulin users. In both surveys, younger age, insulin use, T1D, and reporting hypoglycemia were associated with CGM use. In addition, in 2017, higher education level and absence of obesity were associated with CGM use, whereas in 2021/2022, participation in the diabetes self-management education program and higher self-assessed quality of diabetes care were associated with CGM use. Conclusion: Among adults with diabetes in Germany, CGM use increased about twofold within 5 years, irrespective of sociodemographic factors. Educational inequality in CGM use diminished over time. The higher self-rated quality of diabetes care associated with the recent use of CGM provides further evidence to support its use among all adults with diabetes in Germany.

Addition of continuous glucose monitoring to glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus - An economic evaluation

BACKGROUND

Both glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) have been shown to improve glycated hemoglobin A1c (A1c) levels among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently, a US real-world study found statistically significant improvements in A1c levels among patients using GLP-1 RA and a CGM device, compared with a matched cohort receiving only GLP-1 RA.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the cost-effectiveness from a US payer perspective of initiating CGM (FreeStyle Libre Systems) in people living with T2DM using a GLP-1 RA therapy, compared with GLP-1 RA alone.

METHODS

A patient-level microsimulation model was run for 10,000 patients over a lifetime horizon with 3.0% discounting for costs and utilities. Patient characteristics were based on the overall population of the US real-world study and the subgroup of patients not using intensive insulin. The effect of CGM was modeled as a persistent reduction in A1c compared with GLP-1 RA alone (overall = 0.37%; patients not using intensive insulin = 0.34%). Costs ($2,023) and disutilities were applied to diabetes complications and acute diabetic events. Outcomes were assessed as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

RESULTS

The base-case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (incremental costs/incremental QALYs) for GLP-1 RA plus CGM vs GLP-1 RA alone was $40,968/QALY in the overall cohort (cost = $484,180 vs $473,938; QALYs = 13.37 vs 13.12). Among patients not using intensive insulin, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $43,095/QALY. Scenario analysis showed that the model results were robust to changing assumptions. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that GLP-1 RA plus CGM had a 64% probability of being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000 per QALY.

CONCLUSIONS

From a US payer perspective, CGM is cost-effective when added to GLP-1 RA therapies for the treatment of T2DM, including for patients not using intensive insulin.

A Prospective Pilot Study Demonstrating Noninvasive Calibration-Free Glucose Measurement

BACKGROUND

Glucose is an essential molecule in energy metabolism. Dysregulated glucose metabolism, the defining feature of diabetes, requires active monitoring and treatment to prevent significant morbidity and mortality. Current technologies for intermittent and continuous glucose measurement are invasive. Noninvasive glucose measurement would eliminate this barrier toward making glucose monitoring more accessible, extending the benefits from people living with diabetes to prediabetes and the healthy.

METHODS

A novel spectroscopy-based system for measuring glucose noninvasively was used in an exploratory, prospective, single-center clinical study (NCT06272136) to develop and test a machine learning-based computational model for continuous glucose monitoring without per-subject calibration. The study design blinded the development investigators to the validation analyses.

RESULTS

Twenty subjects were enrolled. Fifteen were used for the development set, and five in the validation set. All study participants were adults with insulin-treated diabetes and median glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of 7.3% (interquartile range [IQR] = 6.7-7.7). The computational model resulted in a mean absolute relative difference (MARD) of 14.5% and 96.5% of the paired glucose data points in the A plus B zones of the Diabetes Technology Society (DTS) error grid. The correlation between the average model sensitivity by wavelength and the spectrum of glucose was 0.45 (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that Raman spectroscopy coupled with advanced computational methods can enable continuous, noninvasive glucose measurement without per-subject invasive calibration.

Impact of continuous glucose monitoring on hospitalizations and glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes: real-world analysis

AIM

The real-world benefits of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in the broad type 2 diabetes (T2D) population are not well studied. Our study evaluated the impact of CGM use on health care resource utilization over 12 months in adults with T2D.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort analysis used Optum's de-identified Market Clarity data of >79 million people to evaluate CGM use in people with T2D who were treated with non-insulin (NIT), basal insulin (BIT) and prandial insulin therapy (PIT). The primary outcomes were changes in all-cause hospitalizations, acute diabetes-related hospitalizations and acute diabetes-related emergency room visits during the 6- and 12-month post-index period following transition from blood glucose monitoring to CGM. A pre-specified subgroup analysis assessed glucose control and medication changes among people with T2D over 1 year.

RESULTS

The analysis included 74 679 adults with T2D (NIT; n = 25 269), (BIT; n = 16 264) and (PIT; n = 33 146). Significant reductions in all-cause hospitalizations, acute diabetes-related hospitalizations and acute diabetes-related emergency room visits were observed in the 6-month post-index period that were sustained during the 6-12 month post-index period (NIT, -10.1%, -31.0%, -30.7%; BIT, -13.9%, -47.6%, -28.2%; and PIT, -22.6%, -52.7%, -36.6%, respectively). A subgroup analysis of 6030 people showed mean glycated haemoglobin reductions at approximately 3 months, which were also sustained throughout the post-index period: NIT, -1.1 (0.05)%; BIT, -1.1 (0.06)%; and PIT, -0.9 (0.04)%, p < 0.0001.

CONCLUSIONS

CGM use in real-life across different therapeutic regimens in adults with T2D was associated with reductions in health care resource utilization with improved glucose control over 1 year.

The use of technology in type 2 diabetes and prediabetes: a narrative review

The increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes, which represents 90% of diabetes cases globally, is a major public health concern. Improved glucose management reduces the risk of vascular complications and mortality; however, only a small proportion of the type 2 diabetes population have blood glucose levels within the recommended treatment targets. In recent years, diabetes technologies have revolutionised the care of people with type 1 diabetes, and it is becoming increasingly evident that people with type 2 diabetes can also benefit from these advances. In this review, we describe the current knowledge regarding the role of technologies for people living with type 2 diabetes and the evidence supporting their use in clinical practice. We conclude that continuous glucose monitoring systems deliver glycaemic benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes, whether treated with insulin or non-insulin therapy; further data are required to evaluate the role of these systems in those with prediabetes (defined as impaired glucose tolerance and/or impaired fasting glucose and/or HbA1c levels between 39 mmol/mol [5.7%] and 47 mmol/mol [6.4%]). The use of insulin pumps seems to be safe and effective in people with type 2 diabetes, especially in those with an HbA1c significantly above target. Initial results from studies exploring the impact of closed-loop systems in type 2 diabetes are promising. We discuss directions for future research to fully understand the potential benefits of integrating evidence-based technology into care for people living with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.

Using continuous glucose monitoring to measure and improve quality metrics: Updates on the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set 2024 Glucose Management Indicator measure

Value-based diabetes care is a proactive approach to providing quality care to individuals with diabetes. This approach focuses on improving clinical outcomes rather than the volume of services provided. Implementation of value-based diabetes care requires an established set of standardized quality measures against which all stakeholders can assess and benchmark their performance. The National Committee for Quality Assurance recently added the Glucose Management Indicator to its Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set. The Glucose Management Indicator can be used as a measure of glucose control. This article discusses the benefits of value-based care, the importance of diabetes quality measures, and how the rapidly increasing adoption of continuous glucose monitoring is impacting these measures while improving the lives of individuals with diabetes.

Techniques for Implementing Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Primary Care: Key CGM Updates and Highlights from the ATTD 2024 Conference [Podcast]

This podcast discusses innovations, advancements, and discoveries in continuous glucose monitoring that were presented at the Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes 2024 Conference in Florence, Italy, held in March 2024. Specifically, the author will discuss Session two "CGM diabetes quality measures", Session three "hypoglycemia- any progress?", and Session 20, "CGM guided precision diabetes management".

How to Use Continuous Glucose Monitoring Efficiently in Diabetes Management: Opinions and Recommendations by German Experts on the Status and Open Questions

Today, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a standard diagnostic option for patients with diabetes, at least for those with type 1 diabetes and those with type 2 diabetes on insulin therapy, according to international guidelines. The switch from spot capillary blood glucose measurement to CGM was driven by the extensive and immediate support and facilitation of diabetes management CGM offers. In patients not using insulin, the benefits of CGM are not so well studied/obvious. In such patients, factors like well-being and biofeedback are driving CGM uptake and outcome. Apps can combine CGM data with data about physical activity and meal consumption for therapy adjustments. Personalized data management and coaching is also more feasible with CGM data. The same holds true for digitalization and telemedicine intervention ("virtual diabetes clinic"). Combining CGM data with Smart Pens ("patient decision support") helps to avoid missing insulin boluses or insulin miscalculation. Continuous glucose monitoring is a major pillar of all automated insulin delivery systems, which helps substantially to avoid acute complications and achieve more time in the glycemic target range. These options were discussed by a group of German experts to identify concrete gaps in the care structure, with a view to the necessary structural adjustments of the health care system.

Exploring the Impact of Device Sourcing on Real-World Adherence and Cost Implications of Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Patients With Diabetes: Retrospective Claims Analysis

BACKGROUND

Insurance benefit design influences whether individuals with diabetes who require a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to provide real-time feedback on their blood glucose levels can obtain the CGM device from either a pharmacy or a durable medical equipment supplier. The impact of the acquisition channel on device adherence and health care costs has not been systematically evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to compare the adherence rates for patients new to CGM therapy and the costs of care for individuals who obtained CGM devices from a pharmacy versus acquisition through a durable medical equipment supplier using retrospective claims analysis.

METHODS

Using the Mariner commercial claims database, individuals aged >18 years with documented diabetes and an initial CGM claim during the first quarter of 2021 (2021 Q1, index date) were identified. Patients had to maintain uninterrupted enrollment for a duration of 15 months but file no CGM claim during the 6 months preceding the index date. We used direct matching to establish comparable pharmacy and durable medical equipment cohorts. Outcomes included quarterly adherence, reinitiation, and costs for the period from 2021 Q1 to the third quarter of 2022 (2022 Q3). Between-cohort differences in adherence rates and reinitiation rates were analyzed using z tests, and cost differences were analyzed using 2-tailed t tests.

RESULTS

Direct matching was used to establish comparable pharmacy and durable medical equipment cohorts. A total of 2356 patients were identified, with 1178 in the pharmacy cohort and 1178 in the durable medical equipment cohorts. Although adherence declined over time in both cohorts, the durable medical equipment cohort exhibited significantly superior adherence compared to the pharmacy cohort at 6 months (pharmacy n=615, 52% and durable medical equipment n=761, 65%; P<.001), 9 months (pharmacy n=579, 49% and durable medical equipment cohorts n=714, 61%; P<.001), and 12 months (pharmacy 48% and durable medical equipment n=714, 59%; P<.001). Mean annual total medical costs for adherent patients in the pharmacy cohort were 53% higher than the durable medical equipment cohort (pharmacy US $10,635 and durable medical equipment US $6967; P<.001). In nonadherent patients, the durable medical equipment cohort exhibited a significantly higher rate of therapy reinitiation during the period compared to the pharmacy cohort (pharmacy 61/613, 10% and durable medical equipment 108/485, 22%; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The results from this real-world claims analysis demonstrate that, in a matched set, individuals who received their CGM through a durable medical equipment supplier were more adherent to their device. For individuals who experienced a lapse in therapy, those whose supplies were provided through the durable medical equipment channel were more likely to resume use after an interruption than those who received their supplies from a pharmacy. In the matched cohort analysis, those who received their CGM equipment through a durable medical equipment supplier demonstrated a lower total cost of care.

Continuous glucose monitoring for glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes not on insulin therapy: A clinical trial

AIM

To evaluate the impact of the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device on glycaemic control and cardiometabolic risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at high cardiovascular risk who are not on insulin therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adults with T2DM with glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) >7% and body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 not using insulin were enrolled in a two-phase cross-over study. In phase 1, CGM data were blinded, and participants performed standard glucose self-monitoring. In phase 2, the CGM data were unblinded, and CGM, demographic and cardiovascular risk factor data were collected through 90 days of follow-up and compared using paired tests.

RESULTS

Forty-seven participants were included (44% women; 34% Black; mean age 63 years; BMI 37 kg/m2; HbA1c 8.4%; 10-year predicted atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk 24.0%). CGM use was associated with a reduction in average glucose (184.0 to 147.2 mg/dl, p < .001), an increase in time in range (57.8 to 82.8%, p < .001) and a trend towards lower glucose variability (26.2 to 23.8%). There were significant reductions in HbA1c, BMI, triglycerides, blood pressure, total cholesterol, diabetes distress and 10-year predicted risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (p < .05 for all) and an increase in prescriptions for sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (36.2 to 83.0%) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (42.5 to 87.2%, p < .001 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

Dexcom G6 CGM was associated with improved glycaemic control and cardiometabolic risk in patients with T2DM who were not on insulin. CGM can be a safe and effective tool to improve diabetes management in patients at high risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Continuous Glucose Monitor: Reclaiming Type 2 Diabetes Self-efficacy and Mitigating Disparities

Context

The rise in continuous glucose monitor (CGM) use has been characterized by widening disparities between the least and most socially marginalized. Given access barriers, there is limited CGM patient experience information that is inclusive of those with type 2 diabetes mellitus from socially marginalized backgrounds.

Objective

To understand the CGM usage experience in the primary care setting across a US Medicaid population with type 2 diabetes at federally qualified health centers.

Methods

This qualitative study used semi-structured phone interviews with 28 English- or Spanish-speaking participants prescribed the CGM who were enrolled in a US Medicaid program that subsidized CGMs. Audio recordings of interviews were transcribed and analyzed by reflective thematic analysis.

Results

Twenty-eight participants (75% female, median age 56 years with interquartile-range 48-60 years) were interviewed. Participants were from different racial/ethnic backgrounds: 21% non-Hispanic White, 57% Hispanic, and 18% non-Hispanic Black. Participants primarily spoke English (68%) or Spanish (32%), and 53% reported 9 or fewer years of formal education. We identified 6 major themes: initial expectations and overcoming initiation barriers, convenience and ease promote daily use, increased knowledge leads to improved self-management, collaboration with provider and clinical team, improved self-reported outcomes, and barriers and burdens are generally tolerated.

Conclusion

CGM use was experienced as easy to understand and viewed as a tool for diabetes self-efficacy. Expanded CGM access for socially marginalized patients with type 2 diabetes can enhance diabetes self-management to help mitigate diabetes outcome disparities.

The Glucose Management Indicator: Time to Change Course?

Laboratory measurement of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) has, for decades, been the standard approach to monitoring glucose control in people with diabetes. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a revolutionary technology that can also aid in the monitoring of glucose control. However, there is uncertainty in how best to use CGM technology and its resulting data to improve control of glucose and prevent complications of diabetes. The glucose management indicator, or GMI, is an equation used to estimate HbA1c based on CGM mean glucose. GMI was originally proposed to simplify and aid in the interpretation of CGM data and is now provided on all standard summary reports (i.e., average glucose profiles) produced by different CGM manufacturers. This Perspective demonstrates that GMI performs poorly as an estimate of HbA1c and suggests that GMI is a concept that has outlived its usefulness, and it argues that it is preferable to use CGM mean glucose rather than converting glucose to GMI or an estimate of HbA1c. Leaving mean glucose in its raw form is simple and reinforces that glucose and HbA1c are distinct. To reduce patient and provider confusion and optimize glycemic management, mean CGM glucose, not GMI, should be used as a complement to laboratory HbA1c testing in patients using CGM systems.

AMCP Market Insights Health Plan Best Practice: Implementing continuous glucose monitoring to improve patient outcomes in diabetes

Diabetes is a complex chronic condition that affects the body's ability to produce or use insulin effectively, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. It is associated with various complications and comorbidities, significantly impacting both individuals and the health care system. Effective management involves a combination of lifestyle adjustments, medication adherence, monitoring, education, and support. The expanding use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has been transformative in diabetes care, providing valuable real-time data and insights for better management. To understand the opportunity for health plans to support improved patient outcomes with CGM, AMCP sponsored a multifaceted approach to identify best practices consisting of expert interviews, a national payer survey, an expert panel workshop with clinical experts and managed care stakeholders, and a national webcast to communicate the program findings. This article summarizes current evidence for CGM to support managed care and payer professionals in making collaborative, evidence-based decisions to optimize outcomes among patients with diabetes. In addition, this review also presents the findings of a national payer survey and describes expert-supported health plan best practices around coverage and access to CGM.

Roadmap to the Effective Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring: Innovation, Investigation, and Implementation

For 25 years, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has been evolving into what it is now: a key tool to both measure individuals' glycemic status and to help guide their day-to-day management of diabetes. Through a series of engineering innovations, clinical investigations, and efforts to optimize workflow implementation, the use of CGM is helping to transform diabetes care. This article presents a roadmap to the effective use of CGM that outlines past, present, and possible future advances in harnessing the potential of CGM to improve the lives of many people with diabetes, with an emphasis on ensuring that CGM technology is available to all who could benefit from its use.