Carson City, NV November 20, 2018
The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Public and Behavioral Health (DPBH) announces November is National Diabetes Month. Nevada DPBH works to reduce the burden of diabetes in the state and address rising costs through drug transparency.
“Diabetes affects many of Nevada's families. Understanding and managing the disease are necessary to ensure patients get the care they need," said State Sen. Yvanna Cancela, one of the sponsors of SB 539, which was approved by the 2017 Nevada Legislature and signed by Gov. Brian Sandoval to help assure prescription drug supply chain transparency. "I'm proud of the work Nevada is doing to provide diabetes resources. I'm even more proud that we're the first state in the country to take a holistic look at the high cost of diabetes medicines. I believe Nevadans deserve the medicines they need at prices they can afford.”
In response to the requirements of this bill, the Department of Health and Human Services has compiled a list of the most frequently prescribed diabetes drugs and those drugs identified by prescribers in Nevada as essential for the treatment of diabetes. Nevada provides transparency to consumers regarding significant diabetes drug price increases and the justifications for those price increases. Additional information on SB 539 can be found online: http://dhhs.nv.gov/HCPWD/DRUG_TRANSPARENCY/. If interested in receiving email notifications for Nevada Drug Transparency information and updates, please subscribe to the LISTSERV: http://dhhs.nv.gov/HCPWD/Drug_Transparency_-_LISTSERV/
According to the most recent Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, the prevalence of diabetes in Nevada is 10.4%, similar to the national average of 10.5%, and it is estimated an additional one 1 in four 4 Nevadans do not know they have diabetes.1,2 Direct and indirect diabetes related medical expenses in Nevada cost $2.4 billion a year.2 In the last decade, insulin prices have increased approximately 300%; and approximately 1 in 4 diabetes patients cut back on insulin due to the cost.3,4
The DPBH Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP) is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Diabetes and Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention Grant. This funding supports evidence-based strategies to reduce the burden of diabetes and prediabetes in Nevada through activities including: prediabetes screening events; health education and promotion; and community outreach to recruit participants for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) Programs and the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP). The DPCP is collaborating on these activities with partners, statewide, including Dignity Health/St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, Renown Health, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), NyE Communities Coalition (NyECC), and Carson City Health and Human Services (CCHHS).