Living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a constant challenge; it’s a complex, exhausting and an unpredictable disease. People with T1D overcome this challenge on a daily basis. To do so – and to achieve better outcomes – they must have access to the right tools. We know better diabetes outcomes are critical. We are committed to our mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications. The ultimate measure of success for JDRF is people with diabetes achieving better outcomes (lower A1c, less hypoglycemia, easier diabetes management, fewer complications, etc.) until there is a cure. Our strategic plan is laser focused on helping people with T1D achieve better outcomes and working across all stages of the development pipeline to ensure people with diabetes have access to and benefit from the research advances JDRF and our partners support. We believe reduced access means people may not achieve better outcomes!

We know some insurers are putting in place agreements with drug and device manufacturers that put certain brands of drugs or devices on a preferred, in-network category, based on negotiations between the plan and the company. These and other market dynamics could affect innovation and access to T1D therapies. Both innovation and access are critical to enable breakthrough treatments to reach people with T1D and help them achieve better outcomes.

The current health care landscape is very complex and changing rapidly. For people with T1D to have access to innovative therapies, those therapies must be approved by regulators, be covered by health plans, and have payment rates negotiated between plans and the manufacturers. JDRF is working to address barriers at each of these stages.

We believe competition is crucial to innovation, and through research partnerships and advocacy actions, JDRF encourages multiple companies to develop better therapies for people with the disease. In the area of artificial pancreas technologies, for example, JDRF has supported multiple approaches to closing the loop and encouraged regulators and insurers to create pathways that would enable patient access to various types of systems.

JDRF recognizes the importance of these complex health care dynamics to our mission of accelerating life-changing T1D breakthroughs, and we have prioritized breaking down barriers to access with a large health policy initiative in collaboration with Helmsley Charitable Trust and T1D Exchange. Our goal is for broad access to innovative therapies, to ensure each person with T1D has access to therapies to enable them to have better outcomes.