Financial incentives lower blood sugar in uncontrolled type 2 diabetes

Background: In this randomized controlled trial in Israel, researchers examined whether a contingent discount as a financial incentive on medication expenses could help people with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes better manage their blood sugar. The study included 186 adults from neighborhoods with low socioeconomic status and followed them for six months. Intervention participants received discounts on their diabetes medications if their blood sugar levels improved, while participants in the control group paid for their medications as usual. Researchers then compared changes in blood sugar levels between the two groups.

What they found: After six months, patients who received medication discounts when their blood sugar improved had greater improvements in long-term blood sugar levels than those who paid for medications. On average, HbA1c levels fell by about 1.4 percentage points in the intervention group, compared with about 0.7 percentage points in the usual-payment control group.

Implications: Providing a contingent discount on medication expenses to socioeconomically disadvantaged patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes may lead to improved glycemic control and encourage engagement with ongoing monitoring.