Blue Circle Health Expands to Alabama and Missouri to Help People with Type 1 Diabetes Gain Access to Care

• Free clinical care, education, and support program empowers adults with type 1 diabetes to help improve health outcomes
  
  
• With comprehensive telehealth services, nonprofit aims to inspire new care models and policies that remove barriers to care

BOSTON, Jan. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Circle Health, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), announced its free telehealth care, education, and support program is now available to adults with T1D in Alabama and Missouri. The program is already active in five other states–Delaware, Florida, Maine, Ohio, and Vermont–where it has provided free, high-quality, multidisciplinary support to more than 450 adults with T1D since January 2024 to help them manage their condition. The program is free for participants thanks to philanthropic funding from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.  

"Our philanthropic funding allows us to provide care based on what people need, which is often different from what insurance companies pay for," said Leonard D'Avolio, PhD, chief executive officer of Blue Circle Health. "We will share health outcomes and learnings with the diabetes and healthcare community to accelerate better care models and policies to improve health outcomes in T1D."

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the body cannot produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. Despite new treatments and technological advances in T1D management, only 1 in 4 people with T1D achieve healthy blood glucose levels, as defined by the American Diabetes Association. Key reasons for this gap include a shortage of endocrinologists and other specialists who provide care for people with T1D, the high cost of medications and supplies, and policies that limit insurance reimbursement for critical digital health tools, education, and support services. In fact, a recent analysis highlighted that endocrinologists are present in only about a quarter of counties in Alabama (15 of 67) and Missouri (31 of 114).¹ "People with T1D in Alabama often must travel miles to receive specialty care," said Nicole Johnson, DrPH, an Alabama resident and diabetes advocate who's lived with T1D for over 30 years. Dr. Johnson, who was the first Miss America with T1D in 1999, continued, "I am so thankful that Blue Circle Health's comprehensive telehealth services will be available to people in Alabama to help make diabetes care, education, and support more accessible. They are helping prevent diabetes related complications and unnecessary hospitalizations."  

Blue Circle Health develops a personalized care plan for each participant, tailored to their unique needs, and offers comprehensive multidisciplinary support over a six-month period. The program:

• Provides endocrinology care, diabetes and nutrition education, peer support, diabetes-focused counseling, assistance with navigating insurance, and referrals to community resources for housing, employment, and food access;
• Is offered virtually and uses a mix of phone, text, and video for communication;
• Integrates with participants' existing in-person care team, providing regular updates to providers to ensure the continuum of care, and;
• Offers access to a prescription assistance program and a free continuous glucose monitor (CGM) trial program to eligible participants

People with T1D over 18 years of age who speak English or Spanish are eligible to enroll.

To sign up directly, refer a person living with T1D, or learn how you can partner with Blue Circle Health, visit www.bluecirclehealth.org.

About Blue Circle Health
Blue Circle Health is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), a chronic autoimmune condition in which the body doesn't produce insulin. T1D affects more than 2 million people in the US, and many face barriers to the care, education, medication, and supplies needed to manage their condition. Blue Circle Health provides virtual care, education, and support for adults with T1D, at no cost to them. Because T1D is a 24/7 condition that is largely self-managed, the program educates and empowers people with T1D to ensure they have the skills, tools, and confidence to manage their condition. Blue Circle Health aims to inspire new models of patient-centric care in T1D and potentially other chronic diseases. The organization plans to expand to 5+ more states in 2025. To learn more, visit www.bluecirclehealth.org.

¹  GoodRx. Endocrinologist Deserts: A Critical Healthcare Gap for Millions in the U.S. 17 December 2024. https://www.goodrx.com/healthcare-access/research/endocrinology-deserts-healthcare-gap?label_override=undefined

SOURCE Blue Circle Health