Current Eligibility Requirements for Continuous Glucose Monitoring Coverage Are Harmful, Costly, and Unjustified

An alarming proportion of individuals with diabetes are not achieving their individualized goals. Several recent randomized controlled trials and real-world observational studies have demonstrated that use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) improves clinical and psychosocial outcomes individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, CGM use is denied to many individuals who could benefit from this technology due to eligibility criteria that require a documented history of frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). In this article, we discuss the absence of evidence supporting coverage policies and present data demonstrating that prior frequency of SMBG is not predictive of successful CGM use.