Important change for diabetics in the reimbursement list. Diabetes treatment may be cheaper

Good news for diabetics. The latest reimbursement list includes more pen needles with insulin. Six types of needles have been added to the list, including those with a length of 4 and 6 mm for the first time. Earlier, 5- and 8-mm needles were on the list.

1. On May 1, 2022, a new reimbursement list came into force. Additional insulin pen needles were added to the reimbursement
2. Until recently, these products were not reimbursed in Poland
3. They first appeared on the list announced on January 1. More have been added since then
4. A diabetic patient needs several dozen needles for one pen
5. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Reimbursed pen needles – list

At the beginning of May, a new list of reimbursed drugs came into force. Diabetics will certainly enjoy it. In addition to the standard insulin and glucose meter strips necessary in the treatment of diabetes, more insulin pen needles appeared on it, a total of six types.

From May, they can be purchased for a fee of 30%, with a limitation to 4 packages of needles per year for one patient. The list includes the previously unrefunded needle lengths of 4 mm and 6 mm.

The May reimbursement list includes:

1. Easydrip Classic pen needles 0,25 × 5 mm (31G), needles 100 pcs. Price PLN 5,44
2. Easydrip Classic pen needles 0,30 × 8 mm (30G), needles 100 pcs. Price PLN 5,44
3. Iglessy pen needles 0,23 × 4 mm (32G), needles 100 pcs. Price PLN 5,46
4. Iglessy pen needles 0,25 × 5 mm (31G), needles 100 pcs. Price PLN 5,46
5. Iglessy pen needles 0,25 × 6 mm (31G), needles 100 pcs. Price PLN 5,46
6. Iglessy pen needles 0,30 × 8 mm (30G), needles 100 pcs. Price PLN 5,46

Earlier, on the March reimbursement list (and also on the May one) appeared:

1. PIC Insupen Orginal pen needles 0,25 × 5 mm (31G), needles 100 pcs. Price 5,51 PLN
2. PIC Insupen Orginal pen needles 0,30 × 8 mm (30G), needles 100 pcs. Price 5,51 PLN

However, from January, the following are refunded:

1. BD Micro-Fine Plus pen needles 0,25 × 5 mm (31G), needles 100 pcs. Price 10,50 PLN
2. BD Micro-Fine Plus pen needles 0,30 × 8 mm (30G), needles 100 pcs. Price 10,50 PLN

The full list of the new reimbursement list is available at gov.pl

Needles reimbursed from January 1

Diabetes and diabetes associations have long fought for pen needles to be reimbursed. Poland was one of the few countries in Europe where needle packages were fully paid.

People with diabetes get needles with them for free when buying pens, but only one for each pen. This is definitely not enough. The needle should be changed before each injection, and one pen equals several dozen injections.

According to the research of the Polish Diabetes Association from 2019, as much as 90 percent. of patients using insulin therapy use the same pen needle more than once, and 71%. it does this at least ten times.

– Patients often, for various reasons, decide not to buy needles and use only those attached by the manufacturer to the insulin package. The problem is that they only get enough to start treatment. From the point of view of safety and recommendations regarding properly conducted insulin therapy, this number is, however, insufficient – said Anna Śliwińska, President of the Main Board of the Polish Diabetes Association.

The pressures took effect. Last year, the President of the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariffs positively recommended that needles for insulin pens should be covered by the refund, and from January 1, the first products were included in the reimbursement list.

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