Jardiance and Jardiamet medicines now funded for high risk type 2 diabetes patients
As of 1st February this year, empagliflozin – a medicine used to treat type 2 diabetes – is fully funded for people who meet the funding criteria. This makes a potentially life-saving medicine accessible to more New Zealanders. Eligible patients will only pay $5 for each prescription of:
What is empagliflozin?
- Empagliflozin is a type of diabetes medicine called a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor.
- Together with a prescribed diet and exercise regime, it can help control blood glucose (sugar) levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Empagliflozin helps control blood sugar levels by stopping the kidneys from putting glucose back into your bloodstream. More glucose is then removed in your urine (pee).
- It also helps manage the risk of heart or kidney disease for some patients.
- Empagliflozin can also be prescribed in combination with other glucose-lowering medications.
Who is eligible for the funded diabetes medicine empagliflozin?
You may be eligible to have your medicine funded if you have type 2 diabetes and you are at high risk of heart and kidney complications. High risk groups include patients with:
- Māori or any Pacific ethnicity
- pre-existing cardiovascular disease
- high 5-year risk of cardiovascular disease (15% or greater)
- high lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease due to being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes during childhood or as a young adult
- diabetic kidney disease
And, to be eligible, your diabetes has not been well controlled after using another blood sugar-lowering drug for at least 3 months. To measure this your diabetes health or medical practitioner will use an HbA1c blood test. You will be eligible if your test result is higher than 53 mmol/mol. This is different to your regular blood glucose test.
How do I get my empagliflozin diabetes medicine funded?
Your diabetes health or medical practitioner will be able to advise if empagliflozin is right for you – and/or if you qualify for funding. You may need to make an appointment to see them.
If you qualify, they will apply for a Special Authority for you. The Special Authority number will be on your prescription so your pharmacy will know the medicine is funded. You will only need to get this Special Authority once.
Have any questions about your diabetes medicine?
If you want to know more about this or your other diabetes medicines, do talk to your diabetes health or medical practitioner.
Our friendly ZOOM pharmacists are available on freephone 0508 966 622, from Mon to Fri 8.30 am – 5.30 pm. You don’t have to be a ZOOM Pharmacy customer to call.
Get your diabetes medication delivered to your door through Zoom Pharmacy
Get your diabetes medicine through ZOOM Pharmacy and have it delivered to your door in discreet packaging in 1-2 days. If you are on an unfunded medicine, visit the ZOOM Pharmacy SHOP to find out our great diabetes medication prices, for example Forxiga (dapagliflozin), Jardiance (empagliflozin) and Byetta (exenatide).
To get started, simply send ZOOM your prescription. You can do this through your patient portal, or tell your medical centre to send it, or take a photo and securely upload your prescription, or freepost / courier it yourself. A pharmacist will then get in touch and take it from there.
Get FREE* prescriptions! Plus if you are on 4 or more funded prescription medicines, you get FREE prescritions, packing and delivery.
References
- https://pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/news/pharmac-to-fund-new-diabetes-medicines-with-amended-special-authority-criteria/
- https://pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations-and-decisions/decision-to-fund-two-new-medicines-for-type-2-diabetes/
- https://pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/q-and-a-diabetes-medicines/
- https://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUArticles/December2020/Spotlight-on-empagliflozin.html
How to send your prescription
- Use your patient portal
- OR tell your medical centre to send it
- OR freepost / courier it yourself
- OR take a photo and securely upload your prescription by using the form below
[caldera_form id=”CF5fd004030bace”]
Find out more here or FreePhone 0508966622
