Savvy Updates 2/9/25 | The Savvy Diabetic

In this week’s issue of The Savvy Diabetic: 

Medicare Telehealth Coverage Extended Through 2027
Recall: Abbott Diabetes FreeStyle Libre 3 & FreeStyle Libre 3+ sensors
Advocacy: Thank Congress for Continuing T1D Research Funding!
Understanding the New Federal Direct-to-Consumer Drug Portal (TrumpRx.gov)
Resistant Starch: Why this nutrient is great for your gut health
Aging with Type 1 Diabetes with ConnectedInMotion Platinum Club, 2/13/26
Can You Use Afrezza with AID Systems? with TCOYD Edelman & Pettus
Diabetes+Mental Health Conference, 3/1-2/26
Valentine’s Day is COMING!
One technique that will help you master hula hooping in seconds

Medicare Telehealth Coverage Extended Through 2027, announced by Center for Medicare Advocacy, MedicareAdvocacy.org, 5 February 2025.

      Finally, some good news! As previously reported, the Covid-era telehealth flexibilities lapsed September 30, 2025 and again on January 30, 2026, wreaking havoc on both beneficiaries and providers alike. After the signing of H.R. 7148 (the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026”) on 

February 3, 2026, Medicare coverage for telehealth services has now been extended through December 31, 2027. This welcome news will support not only continuity of care for beneficiaries, but also payments to providers until the flexibilities are extended permanently.

Read more: Medicare Telehealth Coverage Extended Through 2027

Glucose Monitor Sensor Recall: Abbott Diabetes Care Removes Certain FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Sensors reported by FDA.gov/medical-devices, 5 February 2026.

This recall involves removing certain devices from where they are used or sold. The FDA has identified this recall as the most serious type. This device may cause serious injury or death if you continue to use it. The affected products have not changed, but the “Full list of affected lots” has been modified for clarity.

Affected Product: The FDA is aware that Abbott Diabetes Care has issued a letter to distributors, health care providers, and affected customers recommending certain glucose monitor sensors be removed from where they are used or sold:

FreeStyle Libre 3 Sensor
Model Numbers: 72081-01, 72080-01
Unique Device Identifiers (UDI-DI): 00357599818005, 00357599819002
FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Sensor
Model Numbers: 78768-01, 78769-01
Unique Device Identifiers (UDI-DI): 00357599844011, 00357599843014

FreeStyle Libre 3 readers and mobile apps are not impacted. Additionally, no other Libre products (FreeStyle Libre 14 day, FreeStyle Libre 2, FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus, or Libre Pro sensors) or Abbott biowearables are impacted.

What to Do
Patients should verify if their sensors are impacted and immediately discontinue use and dispose of the affected sensor(s).

Read more: Glucose Monitor Sensor Recall: Abbott Diabetes Care Removes Certain FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Sensors

ADVOCACY: Thank Congress for Continuing T1D Research Funding!

Congress passed a bill that includes an extension of the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) through December 31, 2026, and an increase in funding to $200 million annually from $160 million, and the President is expected to sign it shortly. This ensures critical type 1 diabetes (T1D) research funded through the National Institutes of Health will continue accelerating progress and improving lives for people living with T1D.

This legislation also strengthens the broader research ecosystem by increasing funding for diabetes research at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and boosting overall funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Easy Way to Send Your Message:  Thank Congress for Supporting T1D Research Funding

Understanding the New Federal Direct-to-Consumer Drug Portal (TrumpRx.gov) shared by JuiceboxPodcast.com, 7 February 2026.

The federal government has launched a new Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) drug pricing website called TrumpRx.gov. The platform is designed primarily for cash-pay medication purchases, helping people find lower prices without using insurance.  It’s being promoted as part of a broader push toward “Most-Favored-Nation” (MFN) pricing — meaning certain U.S. drug prices are being aligned more closely with what patients pay in other developed countries.  This has gotten a lot of attention, but the important part is how it actually works and what the trade-offs are.

What Website Actually Is:  TrumpRx.gov is not a pharmacy. It does not dispense medication, hold inventory, or employ pharmacists.  Instead, it functions as a federal pricing portal that helps consumers locate discounted cash-pay options by routing them into existing private-sector systems.

“Most-Favored-Nation” Drug List (Currently ~40+ Drugs):  The portal includes a featured MFN list of about 40 drugs (currently 43 listed at launch) with heavily reduced “spot prices.”  These prices are framed as voluntary manufacturer discounts intended to reflect what other wealthy nations pay.

TrumpRx.gov is best understood as a government-run discount pricing portal that routes patients to:

GoodRx-style retail coupons (often for generics)
discounted manufacturer-supported cash purchase options (often for high-cost brand drugs)
It may offer significant savings for some people—especially those who are uninsured or denied coverage—but insured users should carefully compare prices and understand the deductible/out-of-pocket trade-off.

This article and pricing information were originally compiled by Google Gemini, which was instructed to source only publicly available, verifiable information and present it in a neutral, non-partisan way. That Gemini-generated report was then provided to ChatGPT for a secondary review and deeper verification, including cross-checking drug names, pricing, and category listings against the live TrumpRx.gov portal and additional reputable sources. The goal of this two-step approach was to reduce errors, avoid political framing, and ensure the information shared here reflects the clearest available facts as of the portal’s February 2026 launch.

Thank you, Scott Benner and JuiceboxPodcast, for sharing this!  

Read more:  Understanding the New Federal Direct-to-Consumer Drug Portal (TrumpRx.gov)

Why this nutrient is great for your gut health by Anahad O’Connor for WashingtonPost.com, 3 February 2026.

Nutrition experts say that resistant starch is one of the best things for your gut microbiome, the community of trillions of microbes that live in your intestine. That’s because the microbes in your gastrointestinal tract convert resistant starch into compounds that reduce inflammation, lower your risk of chronic diseases, strengthen your overall gut health and lower your blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Resistant starch is a cousin of dietary fiber. It’s a type of starch found naturally in many plant foods, including beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, green bananas, potatoes and some whole grains. Even better: You can create resistant starch in rice, pasta and a handful of other carb-heavy foods simply by cooking and then cooling them in the refrigerator (more on that later).

Your gut microbes have a symbiotic relationship with your body. When you feed them the foods that they love — such as fiber and resistant starch — they produce compounds called short-chain fatty acids. These special fatty acids increase satiety and help protect against inflammation, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and obesity. They also strengthen the lining of your digestive tract, which helps keep pathogens and toxins from entering your bloodstream and making you sick.

Resistant starches are great for your blood sugar levels. Many foods with refined carbohydrates can spike your blood sugar because they’re rapidly absorbed in the small intestine. But because resistant starches act like fiber — being mostly unabsorbed in the small intestine — they can actually reduce your blood sugar levels.

Read more: Why this nutrient is great for your gut health

Aging with Type 1 Diabetes: Advocacy, Preparedness & Shaping the Future Zoom event with Joanne Milo, presented by ConnectedinMotion.ca, 12 February 2026.

Aging with Type 1 diabetes brings changing needs and new opportunities to advocate for yourself and your community. This session explores why advocacy matters across the lifespan and how lived experience, connection, and preparation can lead to better care and stronger support systems.

We’ll discuss practical approaches to advocacy and preparedness, including navigating the healthcare system, planning for life transitions, understanding rights and supports, and preparing for unexpected situations. This session centres on confidence, resilience, and the power to shape systems that support safety, dignity, and quality of life as we age with Type 1 diabetes.

To Register: Platinum Club: 2026 Event Registration

Ask Drs. E&P: Can You Use Afrezza with AID Systems? by Dr. Steve Edelman & Dr. Jeremy Pettus for TCOYD.org, 22 January 2026.

Dear Drs. E&P … If you’re on an AID system and your blood sugar is high and you take Afrezza, can the AID system react fast enough to NOT give you a correction bolus? Is it really okay to use Afrezza with AID systems?

Dr. Pettus: Afrezza isn’t officially approved for use with hybrid closed-loop systems (also called AID systems), but Steve and I use Afrezza with ours all the time. Steve is looping with an Omnipod, and I use the Medtronic 780G.  We regularly use Afrezza ourselves, and we also suggest it to our patients who may benefit from it…mostly for those sticky highs.

Automated insulin pumps are constantly determining how much insulin you’re getting in a day, and they use that information to make auto corrections. The concern here is that if you’re taking a bunch of Afrezza and the pump doesn’t know it, will it mess up the algorithm?  Generally speaking, the answer is no. BUT each hybrid closed-loop algorithm works differently, and may respond differently.

There are a couple of ways to use Afrezza with a pump – for a mealtime bolus and for a correction dose.

How to Use Afrezza for a Mealtime Bolus:  If you want to take Afrezza for a mealtime bolus, just don’t enter the carbs into your pump, and the pump won’t know you’re eating. The pump should adjust when it sees your blood sugars coming down.  Some systems let you enter the carbs and register that you are taking Afrezza like Loop, which is a non FDA-approved AID system. Twiist is an FDA-approved version of loop, and will have that function soon.
How to Use Afrezza for a Correction Dose:  The other scenario (and the essence of your question) is, can you take Afrezza if your blood sugar is high and the pump is already trying to bring you back down?

I still say yes.

Dr. Edelman:  I second everything Jeremy said. We’ve been using Afrezza with our AID patients for years, and we haven’t seen any issues. Again, using Afrezza with an AID system isn’t officially approved by the FDA, but screw that! People do not like sticky high blood sugars that don’t respond to subcutaneous insulin, and Afrezza gets the job done!

BOTTOM LINE: The main caution is if a big chunk of your daily insulin is coming from Afrezza. In that case, your pump may think you’re more insulin-sensitive than you are and adjust its algorithm. But generally speaking, Afrezza and AID systems work well together, and Afrezza can be a great tool in your diabetes toolbox.

Read more:  Ask Drs. E&P: Can You Use Afrezza with AID Systems?

CONFERENCE:  The Diabetes + Mental Health Conference, scheduled 1-2 May 2026, virtually, DMHConference.com.

The Diabetes + Mental Health Conference is a one-stop destination for virtual educational events focused on the intersection of diabetes management and mental health.  These D+MH events bring together a cross-section of people living with all types of diabetes, their caregivers, and both medical and mental health professionals working with those with diabetes.  Fully Virtual – Join live from anywhere or catch the replays on your own time

Two Tracks (open to everyone!)

CEU Track: Designed for healthcare providers — earn up to 7 CEUs
General Track: Created for people with diabetes (PWDs) and their loved ones

3 Inspiring Keynote Speakers
13 Engaging Sessions + 1 Expert Panel Discussion
3 Product Theaters featuring our conference sponsors
Friday Evening “Fireside Chat” Conversations – relaxed, real, and community-centered
Exhibit Hall Scavenger Hunt – connect with sponsors and win prizes!

Get Tickets:  2026 Diabetes + Mental Health Virtual Conference

Valentine’s Day is COMING!  Saturday, 14 February 2026!

With great appreciation to Children with Diabetes, here are the carb counts you might use for the delicious treats!

Just for fun … and Exercise!  The one technique that will help you master hula hooping in seconds by Luis Vallazon for ScienceFocus.com, 31 January 2026.

Hula hoops rotate by rolling around your body, like a wheel on the road, except that they roll on their inside edge instead of the outside.

If you gyrate your hips in sync with this rotation, your waist will push against the hoop at just the right point to apply a force that keeps the hoop spinning.  The hoop stays up because your hips are wider than your waist, so pushing sideways also causes the hoop to slide up this slope to the narrowest point.

A 2024 study at New York University confirmed that an hourglass waist was the best figure for hula hooping.  Of course, a study: “Geometrically modulated contact forces enable hula-hoop levitation” by Xintong Zhu, Olivia Pomerenk & Leif Ristroph.  This study explains the physics and mathematics of how and why a hula hoop can be suspended against gravity. We identify this activity as an example of a more general form of mechanical levitation maintained by rolling points of contact and which depends strongly on body shape.  Listen to the podcast: http://pnas-science-sessions-podcast.libsyn.com/how-hula-hoops-stay-aloft

Read more: