A newly inked agreement is proof that transforming healthcare can’t be done alone.

In June, Medtronic announced a new outcomes-based agreement with Aetna, one of the largest U.S.- based health insurers. The agreement focuses on those living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and rely on multiple daily insulin injections. The agreement ties a component of Medtronic’s reimbursement to successfully meeting clinical improvement thresholds for Aetna members who transition from multiple daily injections to a Medtronic insulin pump.

“This agreement reinforces our shift towards value-based healthcare,” says Hooman Hakami, president of the Diabetes Group at Medtronic. “Technology alone isn’t enough in order to improve outcomes.”

The agreement continues to provide Aetna members access to the most advanced diabetes technology Medtronic offers, including the new Minimed™ 670G system – the only insulin pump approved by the FDA that enables personalized and automated delivery of basal insulin, which works to maximize Time in Range. This agreement reinforces the strength of the growing and compelling body of clinical evidence established on Medtronic’s proprietary SmartGuard technology featured in its MiniMed family of insulin pump systems.

“We are pleased to be working with a leader in the healthcare space who is aligned with our goal of transforming diabetes care for the benefit of patients,” says Suzanne Winter, group vice president of the Americas Diabetes Group at Medtronic. “This agreement is an important first step as we look to ensure outcomes and lower the overall cost of care.”

The announcement is one of many steps marking a global shift towards value-based healthcare. Currently, Medtronic and the Harvard Business Review are researching the movement. 

Important Safety Information

The Medtronic MiniMed 670G system is intended for continuous delivery of basal insulin (at user selectable rates) and administration of insulin boluses (in user selectable amounts) for the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus in persons, fourteen years of age and older, requiring insulin as well as for the continuous monitoring and trending of glucose levels in the fluid under the skin. The MiniMed 670G system includes SmartGuard technology, which can be programmed to automatically adjust delivery of basal insulin based on continuous glucose monitor sensor glucose values, and can suspend delivery of insulin when the sensor glucose value falls below or is predicted to fall below predefined threshold values. The system requires a prescription. The Guardian Sensor (3) glucose values are not intended to be used directly for making therapy adjustments, but rather to provide an indication of when a fingerstick may be required. A confirmatory finger stick test via the CONTOUR^®NEXT LINK 2.4 blood glucose meter is required prior to making adjustments to diabetes therapy. All therapy adjustments should be based on measurements obtained using the CONTOUR^®NEXT LINK 2.4 blood glucose meter and not on values provided by the Guardian Sensor (3).  Always check the pump display to ensure the glucose result shown agrees with the glucose results shown on the CONTOUR^®NEXT LINK 2.4 blood glucose meter. Do not calibrate your CGM device or calculate a bolus using a blood glucose meter result taken from an alternative site (palm) or from a control solution test. If a control solution test is out of range, please note that the result may be transmitted to your pump when in the “Always” send mode. 

Warning

Medtronic performed an evaluation of the MiniMed 670G system and determined that it may not be safe for use in children under the age of 7 because of the way that the system is designed and the daily insulin requirements. Therefore this device should not be used in anyone under the age of 7 years old. This device should also not be used in patients who require less than a total daily insulin dose of 8 units per day because the device requires a minimum of 8 units per day to operate safely.

Only use rapid acting U100 insulin with this system. Pump therapy is not recommended for people whose vision or hearing does not allow recognition of pump signals and alarms. Pump therapy is not recommended for people who are unwilling or unable to maintain contact with their healthcare professional. The safety of the MiniMed 670G system has not been studied in pregnant women.

For complete details, including product and important safety information concerning the system and its components, please consult http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/important-safety-information#minimed-670gand the appropriate user guide at http://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/download-library