Automated insulin delivery is one of the most meaningful improvements in Type 1 management in a generation. In Australia, who gets access to it depends on a complex combination of state funding programmes, NDSS provisions, private health insurance and pump-warranty cycles. People in identical clinical situations can have very different access depending on where they live and where they are treated.
That is a fairness problem, and it is a solvable one. Advocacy is part of the solve. This article is a practical, non-partisan guide written from lived experience, not from a political or commercial angle.
I have lived with Type 1 for more than 34 years. In 2025, I travelled to Parliament House in Canberra to meet with the Office of the Minister for Health and Aged Care. I spoke about what fair access to AID would mean for people like us. I do not say this to put myself forward. I say it because personal stories and personal presence move policy in ways that abstract arguments cannot. Your story matters too.
Why AID access matters right now
Automated Insulin Delivery systems combine a CGM, an insulin pump and a control algorithm to adjust insulin delivery in real time. For many people with Type 1, AID reduces hypoglycaemic episodes, improves time in range and eases the relentless mental load of manual insulin decisions.
The technology exists. The evidence is clear. The barrier is access.
Progress has been made. The Federal Government has responded to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Diabetes. Diabetes Australia has welcomed steps forward on awareness, care and research. But equitable access to diabetes technologies remains unfinished work. Breakthrough T1D has noted that the May 2026 Federal Budget did not include expanded insulin pump access, despite progress in other areas.
This is where advocacy comes in.
Three levels of advocacy
You do not have to do all three. Pick the one that matches your energy right now. Advocacy does not have to be loud to be effective.
1. Your own access (personal advocacy)
- Find out specifically what funding pathway exists for AID in your state. Ask your diabetes team to walk you through it.
- Get on any waitlist that exists. Some states have priority lists for new technology rollouts; being on the list is not a commitment to proceed.
- If you have private health insurance, ask the insurer in writing: “Under my current policy, what would I be funded for if I were prescribed an AID-compatible insulin pump?”
- If you are declined access, ask for the reason in writing. Reasons in writing are reviewable. Reasons in conversation are not.
2. Your clinic and region (community advocacy)
- Talk to your diabetes team about what they can advocate for at their clinic level: training, pump availability, referral pathways.
- Connect with other Type 1 adults in your region. State-based diabetes organisations such as Diabetes Victoria and Diabetes NSW & ACT have active advocacy programmes.
- The JDRF Australia and Diabetes Australia advocacy networks are the most direct route to state-level change.
- Share your own access story if you are comfortable doing so. Personal stories move policy more than abstract argument.
3. Policy advocacy
- Write to your local MP. A short, specific letter from a constituent beats a long, general one. Simple structure: who you are, what your situation is, what specific change you would like, what it would mean in practice.
- Engage with the established advocacy bodies. They aggregate individual stories into submissions and meetings that the average constituent cannot arrange alone.
- Do not get drawn into partisan politics. Type 1 access is non-partisan. Frame it that way and you get more traction.
What to actually ask for
Specificity moves policy. “Better access to AID” is too vague. The clearer asks include:
- NDSS-funded consumables for AID-compatible pumps across all eligible patients regardless of state.
- State-level funding parity for AID-compatible pumps for adults with Type 1.
- Clear, published criteria for who qualifies for funded AID and who does not.
- Manufacturer-neutral choice between approved AID systems.
- Equity provisions for First Nations Australians and remote communities.
What advocacy is not
- It is not manufacturer marketing. Smart Diabetes Living is manufacturer-neutral. Advocating for “AID access” is not advocating for any specific brand.
- It is not a guarantee of clinical outcome. AID is a tool, not a cure. It helps, but it does not replace careful management.
- It is not a substitute for engaging with your own diabetes team about your own situation.
- It is not a free-for-all. AID requires training, follow-up and ongoing engagement. Advocating for access also means advocating for the support structures that make it work.
Frequently asked questions
What is Automated Insulin Delivery?
AID is a system that connects a CGM, an insulin pump and a control algorithm to adjust insulin delivery automatically based on real-time glucose readings. It is sometimes called a hybrid closed loop.
Is AID available on the NDSS?
CGM consumables are available through the NDSS for many people with Type 1. Insulin pump consumables and the pumps themselves are generally funded through state programmes or private health insurance, not the NDSS. This varies by state.
Do I need private health insurance to get AID?
Not necessarily, but it helps. Some states fund AID-compatible pumps through public hospital networks. Others rely on private health insurance. If you do not have top-level hospital cover, your options may be limited depending on where you live.
How long does it take to get approved for AID?
This varies enormously. Some clinics have waitlists of weeks. Others have waitlists of months or years. The best first step is to ask your diabetes team what the current pathway and timeline looks like in your state.
Can I switch from my current pump to an AID-compatible one?
It depends on your pump-warranty cycle and funding pathway. Most state programmes and insurers only fund a new pump every four years. If you are within that cycle, you may need to wait or self-fund.
Key takeaways
- AID access in Australia is improving but uneven. Where you live and who treats you still matters.
- Advocacy works at three levels: personal, community and policy. Pick the one that fits your energy.
- Specific, written asks move policy more than general requests.
- Sharing your personal story is one of the most powerful things you can do.
- Advocacy is non-partisan. Frame it as fairness and access, not politics.
One thing you can do this week
Pick one of the three levels. If “your own access”, spend an hour finding out what the actual funding pathway is in your state. If “community”, reach out to your state diabetes organisation. If “policy”, write a paragraph to your MP. One letter, one paragraph, this week.
If this topic matters to you and you want to go deeper into understanding how diabetes technology works and how to evaluate it, I cover the practical side of AID, CGM and pump decision-making in Tech Tamed. It is written from a manufacturer-neutral perspective, the same lens I use here.
Related reading
Free PDF · 2 pages · Includes MP letter template
The AID Advocacy Action Sheet
Print it, fill it in, send the letter this week. One hour total. Real change starts there.
Download the PDF →