Frequently asked questions

General

How do I know if an insulin pump is right for me?

Talk to your health-care provider who can refer you to your local diabetes education centre, or speak to your diabetes education team. Many diabetes education centres across Newfoundland and Labrador offer insulin pump information sessions. Please contact your local diabetes education centre for more information.

How will I know if I am medically eligible?

Your health-care provider must complete the verification of medical eligibility form, please see ‘How to apply’.

  • For those under 18 years of age, this verification of medical eligibility must be completed by a physician specialist such as a pediatrician or endocrinologist.
  • For those over 18 years of age, this verification of medical eligibility can be completed by your physician specialist, family physician or nurse practitioner.

Once enrolled into the NL Insulin Pump Program (NLIPP), how often do I need to apply?

You need to renew your application every year to avail of NLIPP funding and benefits. The NLIPP fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31. Renewal applications are accepted between the months of January and March. Please see, ‘How to apply’.

Coverage

What if I have private insurance?

When completing the NLIPP application, please ensure insurance information is provided. Please include the name of your insurance company and information about your plan. If applicable, please also include the name and information of any second insurance company.

Failure to disclose third-party insurance information may result in termination of benefits.

If there are changes to your third-party insurance information, please contact the NLIPP at NLIPP@easternhealth.ca or via telephone at 709-752-4436 or toll-free 1-888-246-4888, to complete the necessary documentation.

What does “the NLIPP is the payer of last resort” mean?

As the payer of last resort, the NLIPP will pay the remaining portion of the insulin pump and supply costs after:

  • all other financially obligated programs have paid, (e.g. private insurance), and the
  • client has contributed the co-payment amount indicated by income testing, if applicable.

What do I do if I receive notification that my insurance benefits have reached their maximum?

If your insurance coverage benefits have reached their maximum, please contact your insurance provider and request an explanation of benefits. Once received, please forward the documentation to the NLIPP at NLIPP@easternhealth.ca.

Supplies

I am enrolled in the NLIPP, but I wish to purchase my insulin pump supplies through my local pharmacy. Will I be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket costs?

No, unfortunately the NLIPP is unable to reimburse any clients for out-of-pocket costs if insulin pump supplies are purchased through local pharmacies. To avail of the benefits of the NLIPP, insulin pump supplies must be purchased through an approved supply vendor of the NLIPP.

When am I eligible for a new insulin pump?

The NLIPP is committed to processing requests for funding for a new insulin pump in a timely manner. To be eligible for a new insulin pump, the current insulin pump must be five (5) years out of warranty from the initial purchase date. An official out-of-warranty letter from the current vendor must be requested by the client and forwarded to the NLIPP at NLIPP@easternhealth.ca.

Insulin pumps with an existing warranty will not be eligible for replacement. This includes any privately purchased insulin pumps.

Requests for a new insulin pump will be processed at the beginning of each quarter, for replacement to occur in the following quarter.

Legacy

I bought an insulin pump before the program expansions were put in place. Am I eligible to be reimbursed?

Pumps and supplies purchased prior to the program commencing will not be reimbursed. All applicants must apply and be approved by the NLIPP to gain financial assistance.

Once approved, the pump and supplies will be obtained through the NLIPP and its approved vendors.

I was enrolled in the insulin pump program at the time of the expansion. Will there be any changes to the services that I receive?

  • The NLIPP is available to Newfoundland and Labrador residents of all ages who meet medical and financial eligibility criteria. Children and youth under the age of 18 will be universally covered when medical eligibility is met.
  • Existing NLIPP clients between the ages 18 and 24 as of March 31, 2021, will continue to avail of the legacy NLIPP program criteria until they reach 25 years of age. At the age of 25, those clients will be required to undergo income testing to determine eligibility for financial support under the NLIPP.
  • New applicants 18 years of age and older, who are medically eligible, will undergo income testing to determine financial eligibility for NLIPP benefits. This will also apply to those currently enrolled in the NLIPP who will be turning 18 years of age.

Finances

I am currently enrolled in the NLIPP and my finances have changed. I can no longer afford my co-payment. What do I do now?

Please contact the NL Insulin Pump Program toll-free at 1-888-246-4888 or by email at NLIPP@easternhealth.ca to request a review of client contribution.

How does income testing work?

After an application is submitted and screened, the NLIPP team contacts patients and clients, who are over the age of 18, to discuss the process of income testing. Patients and clients will then receive an income testing application to complete. A financial officer completes an assessment. The patient or client will be notified by the NLIPP of what their contribution would be. This process also occurs for enrolled youth turning 18 and for legacy clients turning 25 years old.

If I have questions about the income testing process, who can contact?

For more information on the income testing process, please contact the NLIPP coordinator at NLIPP@easternhealth.ca or via telephone at 709-752-4436 or toll-free at 1-888-246-4888.

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Last updated: 2022-03-04