A Type 2 diabetes diagnosis can be life-changing, but you’re not alone. We’re here to help walk you through it. The Time in Range Coalition is focused on helping people with diabetes feel better, faster by providing free information on diabetes management tools like continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and more! We send you the latest and greatest information on diabetes straight to your inbox once a month—for free!
Sign up today and then scroll down to get your answers about Type 2 diabetes management, technology, and complications answered.
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
It’s important to remember—diabetes is no one’s fault. Family history, genetics, and environmental factors play a role as well as food, exercise, stress, and sleep. While type 2 diabetes is associated with obesity, it is not simply the result of high body weight.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body has trouble processing glucose (or sugar) from the bloodstream to use for energy. It means the body isn’t using insulin effectively, and it’s characterized by high blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes and technology
A CGM can tell you where your glucose levels are every single minute of the day, so you can see the whole picture of your glucose. Using CGM metrics can help you identify patterns that show you how different foods, exercise, feelings, and more affect your glucose levels, which allows you to make changes based on those patterns.
Using a CGM and its metrics have been shown to help decrease long-term diabetes complications, lower A1C, improve quality of life, and so much more.
There are 42 factors that affect glucose levels—you should have the freedom to know exactly how they affect you. You can learn more about how to get started with a CGM, including answers to questions about insurance and more, at timeinrange.org.
What CGMs are available to me if I have Type 2 diabetes?
Depending on your insurance coverage, different CGMs will be available to you. If you have private insurance, you can use this tool to see what CGMs are covered by your insurance. If you are on Medicare and you have Type 2 diabetes and take insulin or have had severe hypoglycemia, CGMs should be covered for you. You can learn more about coverage here.
In 2024, over-the-counter CGMs will be available to people with Type 2 diabetes who are not on insulin! This includes Abbot’s Rio and Dexcom Stelo. Speak to your pharmacy about when they will be available in your area.