Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Council Member Schulman inquires about diabetes management programs and guaranteed income initiatives
2:56:42
·
3 min
Council Member Lynn Schulman asks about the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's plans for diabetes management, particularly regarding a proposed pilot glucometer distribution program. Acting Commissioner Michelle Morse responds, discussing the prevalence of diabetes in New York City, especially in The Bronx, and potential initiatives to address the issue.
- The council's preliminary budget response includes a request for $1 million for a pilot glucometer distribution program in FY 2026.
- DOHMH acknowledges the need for improved access to diabetes care, especially for uninsured individuals.
- The discussion touches on innovative approaches like guaranteed income programs to address diabetes, particularly in high-prevalence areas like The Bronx.
Lynn Schulman
2:56:42
Now I'm gonna ask, I'm gonna switch gears.
2:56:44
I'm gonna ask about Corinne you can you can go.
2:56:48
You can stay there.
2:56:50
I don't care.
2:56:52
I'm gonna ask about the diabetes management program.
2:56:57
So many New Yorkers have issues accessing and affording vital diabetes management products including glaucomatous.
2:57:04
Similar to last year, our preliminary budget response includes a request of $1,000,000 in fiscal year twenty twenty six for a pilot glaucoma distribution program.
2:57:13
Has DOHMH considered this proposal to provide free and low cost glaucometers to New Yorkers?
2:57:17
And are there any other ideas that you have as part of that?
2:57:21
Because we really do, diabetes is a huge issue and we really need to start.
2:57:26
I know that through Healthy NYC it's being addressed and the numbers are starting to go down, but we still need to do more.
Michelle Morse
2:57:35
Thank you for the question Chair Schulman.
2:57:39
As you see to the left we thought it would be helpful to just bring a visual about how much of an issue we see with diabetes across the city.
2:57:47
It really does, like many other illnesses and chronic illnesses specifically, track with poverty and track with neighborhood unfortunately.
2:57:56
So what we see is almost double the rate of diabetes in The Bronx as we see in other parts of the city for example.
2:58:02
We also see high rates of diabetes in communities that don't have access to healthy food at a reasonable price.
2:58:10
So all of those things are described in detail in our chronic disease report that was released at the January and we certainly have seen again an uptick in diabetes prevalence across New York City over the past ten years.
2:58:22
All of that being said, glucometers are a central part of managing diabetes once someone's diagnosed with it, particularly if they're on insulin.
2:58:32
And insurance companies and in health insurance does cover glucometers, but for people who are uninsured for example it can be more difficult to find access to a glucometer and to get care.
2:58:45
We do think that improving access to diabetes care needs to continue to be a priority, and we also see the diabetes self management program and the National Diabetes Prevention Program as two incredibly important evidence based programs that help to address diabetes prevention and management.
2:59:04
We currently run those programs in many places, but always see a need for more diabetes education.
2:59:10
And again, The Bronx unfortunately is a place where we see a very high prevalence of diabetes.
2:59:15
It has unfortunately the lowest county health ranking of every out of 62 counties across New York City in The Bronx, and diabetes is contributing to that.
2:59:25
So long story short, certainly see opportunities for increasing access to glucometers, particularly amongst people who are uninsured.
2:59:35
We also, however, because of the deep connection between poverty and diabetes outcomes, see an opportunity for innovative programs like guaranteed income programs to address diabetes with again a focus in The Bronx where diabetes is unfortunately the worst across the city.
2:59:53
So we'd be happy to speak more with council about those kinds of opportunities.
Lynn Schulman
2:59:56
Can you tell us where that's used?
2:59:59
Is that used any place now, the guaranteed income?
Michelle Morse
3:00:02
We have seen some really innovative uses of guaranteed income particularly amongst pregnant people and there have been phenomenal outcomes for giving guaranteed income to pregnant people during pregnancy and after pregnancy.
3:00:16
It's improved health outcomes in that population.
3:00:19
It's also been looked at in a number of other areas, but it has yet to be tried in chronic disease specifically.
3:00:26
So we believe, again, because there's such a deep connection between living in poverty and complications from diabetes, that that would be a really exciting opportunity to, evaluate.