New report finds Australia can’t afford inaction on diabetes technology access
Announcement posted by London Agency 25 Jun 2026
Thursday 25th June 2026, Australia: A new report finds that failure to expand access to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology will place increasing pressure on Australians living with diabetes, hospitals and the healthcare system.
THE COST OF INACTION: Australian voices on equitable access to diabetes technology outlines the human and financial consequences of delayed action on diabetes management reform.
Diabetes is a growing health and economic challenge, with annual costs estimated at $17.6 billion.1-2 More than 1.5 million Australians currently live with diagnosed diabetes, including 1.3 million with type 2 diabetes (T2D), with rates continuing to rise nationally.3
The report has been developed with input from nine leading organisations, clinical and policy experts, plus diabetes organisations and healthcare providers. It calls for urgent expansion of NDSS-funded CGM access in 2026 for people with insulin-treated T2D, women with gestational diabetes, and adults with insulin-dependent type 3c diabetes[i] - populations representing an estimated 350,000 Australians currently excluded from subsidised access.4
Informed by consultations with clinicians, policy experts, healthcare providers and consumer representatives from across Australia, the report reflects broad sector concern about the long-term consequences of delayed action.
Its release follows the Federal Government's 2026 Health Budget handed down last month, which included no new funding allocations for the treatment of diabetes despite improved access to diabetes technology being recommended in the Parliamentary Inquiry into Diabetes report released in July 2024.5
Professor Sof Andrikopoulos, CEO of the Australian Diabetes Society, says timely Government action would align Australia's diabetes care with contemporary standards, improve health equity and help reduce growing long-term pressure on the healthcare system.
"This report makes clear that the cost of inaction on diabetes technology access is being felt every day - by Australians living with diabetes and right across the healthcare system," says Prof Andrikopoulos.
"While many Australians living with type 1 diabetes can already access subsidised CGM technology through the NDSS, other high-need populations continue to miss out despite strong clinical evidence supporting broader equitable access."
Key findings6
1. Delayed access is driving avoidable health and economic costs
· T2D contributes to 39,300 hospital admissions annually, and annual hospital expenditure linked to T2D admissions is estimated at AU$274 million
· Restricted CGM access contributes to an estimated 15,720 potentially avoidable hospitalisations each year, with avoidable hospital costs estimated at more than AU$110 million annually
2. CGM improves glycaemic control[ii] and reduces complications
· Evidence shows CGM improves HbA1c[iii], increased time-in-range[iv] and reduces the risk of hypoglycaemia[v] for people who require insulin
· CGM supports self-management and behavioural changes that contribute to sustained glycaemic control
3. A persistent gap in equitable CGM access remains
· While many Australians living with type 1 diabetes can access subsidised CGMs through the NDSS, current eligibility settings leave people without equitable access to CGM despite strong clinical evidence. This includes people with high clinical need insulin-treated T2D, women with gestational diabetes, and adults with insulin-dependent type 3c diabetes
· The report warns these disparities are increasingly out of step with community expectations and globally accepted standards of diabetes care
4. Timely Government action would align funding with prevention priorities
· CGM is a cost-effective preventative investment that improves health outcomes, reduces avoidable harm and helps lower the growing healthcare costs associated with rising rates of type 2 diabetes
· Expanding equitable funded access to CGM would align Government policy with contemporary clinical evidence and support priorities around health equity, integrated care and strengthening the healthcare system
Professor Glen Maberly, Adjunct Professor, School Of Public Health - Sydney University, sees the impact of diabetes firsthand across Western Sydney, one of the regions most significantly affected by diabetes in Australia.
"We have clear evidence that broader access to continuous glucose monitoring technology can improve glycaemic control, reduce avoidable hospitalisations and support better long-term health outcomes for people at high clinical risk," says Prof Maberly.
"When the evidence shows better outcomes for patients alongside reduced pressure on the healthcare system, expanding access should be an obvious next step."
The report also highlights the disproportionate impact T2D continues to have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly in regional, rural and underserved areas.
Susan Carbone, Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE) and advisor to the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and the University of Sydney on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander diabetes initiatives, said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities continue to experience disproportionately high rates of diabetes and related complications.
"Access to modern diabetes technology remains inequitable," says Ms Carbone. "Expanding access to continuous glucose monitoring technology is an important opportunity to reduce avoidable harm, improve long-term health outcomes and ensure people can access the same standard of care regardless of where they live or what type of diabetes they have."
The report warns that continued delays to expanding equitable CGM access risk worsening health inequities, increasing avoidable healthcare costs and leaving thousands of Australians without access to technology already considered standard care internationally.
"The technology exists, the clinical evidence is clear, and the cost of delaying equitable access continues to grow," says Prof Andrikopoulos.
"Timely action to expand CGM access would improve health outcomes for thousands of Australians while helping build a more equitable and sustainable healthcare system."
ENDS
Media Contact: Rebecca Dawson, 0435 948 116, (rebecca.dawson@londonagency.com.au)
Available for Interview:
· Professor Sof Andrikopoulos, CEO of Australian Diabetes Society
· Professor Glen Maberly, Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Health Sydney University.
· Susan Carbone, Credentialled Diabetes Educator (ADEA, NACCHO and IUIH)
· Other contributors to the report from the below listed organisations
About the report
The report was developed through a rigorous, multi-disciplinary research framework facilitated by London Agency with the support of Abbott. To ensure a robust, evidence-based call to action, the methodology integrated a comprehensive literature review of contemporary clinical data including the latest findings from the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW) and the 2024 Parliamentary Inquiry into Diabetes alongside direct qualitative insights from the frontline of Australian healthcare.
Central to the report's findings are a series of in-depth interviews with a diverse council of ten leading diabetes stakeholders, including endocrinologists, primary care practitioners, patient advocates, and credentialled diabetes educators.
About the Diabetes Inquiry
The Australian Parliament's Inquiry into Diabetes was formally adopted by the House of Representatives Health, Aged Care and Sport Committee on 25 May 2023 and tasked with examining diabetes care, prevention and management across the nation. The Committee tabled its final report, The State of Diabetes Mellitus in Australia in July 2024.
References
1. Diabetes Australia. (n.d.). Diabetes in Australia. Retrieved May 25, 2026, from https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/diabetes-in-australia/
2. Lee, C. M., Colagiuri, R., Magliano, D. J., Cameron, A. J., Shaw, J. E., Zimmet, P., et al. (2013). The cost of diabetes in adults in Australia. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 99(3), 385-390. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23298663/
3. Diabetes: Australian facts, Burden of diabetes. (2024, December 12). Australian Institute for Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/diabetes/diabetes/contents/impact-of-diabetes/burden-of-diabetes
4. NDSS Snapshots. (2026). Ndss.com.au. https://snapshots.ndss.com.au
5. Parliament of Australia. (2024). The state of diabetes mellitus in Australia in 2024: Report of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport. https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Former_Committees/Health_Aged_Care_and_Sport/Inquiry_into_Diabetes/Report/List_of_recommendations
6. London Agency. The cost of inaction: Australian voices on equitable access to diabetes technology. London Agency; 2026.
[i] Type 3c diabetes develops because of an illness or condition that causes damage to the pancreas so much so that it stops producing enough or any insulin for the body to balance glucose levels.
[ii] Glycaemic control refers to how effectively a person manages their blood glucose levels over time to reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications.
[iii] HbA1c is a blood test reflecting average blood glucose levels over the previous 2-3 months. It indicates the amount of glucose attached to haemoglobin in red blood cells, acting as a crucial tool for diagnosing diabetes, prediabetes, and monitoring long-term glucose control.
[iv] Time in range refers to the amount of time a person's glucose levels remain within their recommended target range.
[v] Hypoglycaemia (often called a "hypo") occurs when blood glucose levels drop too low, usually below 4 mmol/L in people living with diabetes.