The American Diabetes Association® (ADA) applauds Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker for signing legislation (Senate Bill 3414) allowing a broader population of Illinois’ Medicaid beneficiaries to be eligible for a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), closing a significant health equity gap in access to care for people with diabetes who are insulin dependent.
CGMs continually monitor blood glucose (blood sugar), giving real-time updates through a device that is attached to a person’s body. People with diabetes who use a CGM have fewer instances of hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) and can achieve a lower A1C, an important indicator of glucose management.
The benefits of CGMs include:
- Help in avoiding or delaying serious, short- and long-term diabetes complications
- Potentially reducing hospitalizations
- Potentially saving costs through improved diabetes management
- Potentially reducing adverse diabetes events
The new law, created by Senate Bill 3414, will not only eliminate barriers to access among Medicaid beneficiaries, but also require CGM coverage in state-regulated health plans and closely align Illinois’ Medicaid coverage policy with Medicare. Whereas health plan coverage will become effective on January 1, 2026, the Medicaid provisions become effective immediately. Learn more about CGMs.
“The ADA thanks Governor J.B. Pritzker and bill authors Senator Julie Morrison and Representative Jenn Ladisch Douglass for their support and leadership during the legislative process,” said Gary Dougherty, the ADA’s director of state government affairs. “The ADA is appreciative of their commitment to people living with diabetes.”
Over 38 million Americans have diabetes and nearly 98 million American adults have prediabetes. According to the ADA, approximately 1,075,000 adults in Illinois, or 10.9% of the adult population, have diagnosed diabetes. Additionally, an estimated 58,000 adults in Illinois are diagnosed with diabetes each year.
“Every single vote held on Senate Bill 3414 in the Illinois General Assembly received unanimous support,” notes Senator Morrison, the bill’s primary sponsor. “This overwhelming response from Illinois legislators is proof positive that SB 3414 is crucial to the wellbeing of citizens living with diabetes throughout the state. We appreciate the fact that Governor Pritzker agrees and has signed this vital legislation that promises to contribute to a healthier Illinois.”
“Improved CGM access will contribute to better health outcomes for people with diabetes, a more productive Illinois, and will reduce the need for emergency medical attention,” Representative Ladisch Douglass added. “CGMs encourage those living with diabetes to integrate the information from their CGM into their daily lives, prompting individual health choices that can help reduce the potential for costly, debilitating, and even deadly complications.”
If you are struggling to pay for insulin or know someone who is, the ADA has resources to help, visit InsulinHelp.org.
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About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 83 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to treat, manage, and prevent diabetes while working relentlessly for a cure. Through advocacy, program development, and education we aim to improve the quality of life for the 136 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life®. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociación Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
