Woman with Type 1 diabetes urges N.S. government to increase financial assistance

A 25-year-old woman with Type 1 diabetes is calling on the Nova Scotia provincial government to increase financial assistance rates.

Emma Perry was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in May 2022.

“I take probably anywhere from five to seven injections a day,” said Perry, who added that insulin injections are partially covered through Nova Scotia Pharmacare with a co-pay.

However, she has other mounting health concerns that are prohibitively expensive.

“That is the limited accessibility to diabetes devices within Nova Scotia,” said Perry, who requires costly equipment to manage her Type 1 diabetes. “Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors and flash glucose monitors.”

In Nova Scotia, Perry said there are age limits and income range requirements on all of these items, which means she spends roughly $700 each month without reimbursement.

“I am, for the most part, left my own devices,” said Perry.

Sarah Linklater with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation said Nova Scotia is lagging far behind other Canadian provinces when it comes to providing potentially life-saving coverage.

“Manitoba recently lifted age caps, not just on glucose monitoring devices but on insulin pumps,” said Linklater. “P.E.I. last year announced coverage for continuing glucose monitors and New Brunswick also listed age caps on insulin pump coverage.”

The Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness told CTV Atlantic in an email, “We are currently reviewing whether continuous and flash glucose monitoring systems should be added as a publicly insured benefit.”

For now, Perry is faced with a terrifying reality.

“I need to figure out where the money is coming from to provide myself with things I need to stay alive.”

Perry is urging the Nova Scotia government to provide more financial assistance while she continues to live with Type 1 diabetes.

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