SPECIALTY CARE 
ADA 2023 Poster: Impact of Social Vulnerability on Resources for CGM Initiation across Michigan Primary Care Practices
Updated: 06/17/24
Abstract
Objective: The Michigan Collaborative for Type 2 Diabetes (MCT2D) is a state-wide quality initiative supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. MCT2D aims to improve type 2 diabetes care by encouraging prescribing of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), SGLT2i/GLP-1RA medications, and low carbohydrate diets. The study’s purpose was to describe clinic-level resources and barriers to CGM initiation in counties with high and low social vulnerabilities.
Methods: We surveyed primary care practice providers about practice-level CGM patient education and barriers, and providers’ understanding of insurance coverage. 169 of 264 practices (64%) completed the survey. We classified practices as high vulnerability (HV; quartile 4), or low vulnerability (LV; quartiles 1-3) using the county-level CDC Social Vulnerability Index.
Results: Among HV practices, the main CGM education was prescriber instruction (61.5%), while for LV it was printed material (69.8%). For both HV and LV practices the second most common educational resource was web links (53.9% and 51.6%, respectively). For both practice types, the most common barrier to CGM was patients’ lack of smartphone (60.5%, 62.4%, respectively), followed by patients’ lack of internet (55.3%) for HV practices and patients’ ability to use CGM (38.5%) for LV practices. Provider understanding of Michigan Medicaid CGM coverage policy was similar across practices with most reporting incorrectly that it was akin to Medicare (≥3 injections daily) (35.3% (HV) and 44.0% (LV)) or reporting lack of awareness of coverage (32.4% (HV) and 24.1% (LV)).
Conclusions: There is a mismatch between practices’ educational approaches and patients’ access to technology. Improved transparency of CGM coverage criteria would enhance provider understanding and promote equitable access for patients. Limitations include that the data is county-level and further analysis evaluating other practice level social determinants of health is needed.
Tags: Created By MCT2D, Research
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Support for The Michigan Collaborative for Type 2 Diabetes (MCT2D) is provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan as part of the BCBSM Value Partnerships program.
Although Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and MCT2D work collaboratively, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of BCBSM or any of its employees.