Three-year grant will expand diabetes device access via innovative pilot projects
WASHINGTON, D.C. and NEW YORK, October 9, 2025 — The Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP) Foundation and four of its member health will pilot models to expand access to care for millions living with diabetes, thanks to a $4.2 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
Building on previous work supported by the Helmsley Charitable Trust, the 36-month, grant will reduce barriers to using continuous glucose monitors (CGM) for people living with insulin-requiring diabetes. This partnership advances ACHP’s Chronic Disease Pledge to improve diabetes outcomes by 2030. CGM is a game-changing tool that offers user-friendly, unprecedented transparency in tracking blood sugar levels for diabetes management, though barriers still exist in coverage, cost and adoption.
“One out of every four health care dollars spent in the United States goes toward diabetes care, and CGMs are obvious tools to improve lives while saving money,” said ACHP President and CEO Ceci Connolly. “Because our plans are deeply rooted in their communities, they have a unique responsibility and opportunity to show what’s possible in transforming diabetes care. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with The Helmsley Charitable Trust to expand access to CGM, especially as managing chronic diseases including diabetes remains a top priority for ACHP and federal policymakers.”.”
Five Pilots Launching October 2025:
Together, these projects will generate proof of concept for payer-led strategies to expand CGM access and optimal use, producing real-world evidence on clinical outcomes, patient experience and financial sustainability. Models will be widely replicable, demonstrating that health plans can lead innovation in diabetes care, reduce disparities and build the case for long-term coverage policy changes that recognize CGM as a standard of care.
CGMs track glucose levels throughout the day, eliminating the need for finger pricks that were traditionally required and only provided data at much longer intervals. Clinical trials and real-world data show CGM benefits for people with both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes who use insulin, improving outcomes and reducing hospitalizations. Together, these projects will build additional evidence supporting CGM usage and its ability to break down barriers to utilization while promoting widespread change and adoption. Throughout the three-year project, ACHP will disseminate findings, translating them into policy-ready insights to advance sustainable CGM access.
“Health plans play a pivotal role in determining whether people with insulin-requiring diabetes can access life-changing tools such as CGM,” said Laurel Koester, Program Officer at The Helmsley Charitable Trust. “These pilots hold promise to remake the landscape of CGM insurance coverage and signal a future in which CGM is accessible to all who need it.”
This work positions ACHP and its members to shape the future of diabetes care and drive meaningful, evidence-based change across the health care system. The 36-month grant will run through September 2028.
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About ACHP
The Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP) represents the nation’s best local, nonprofit health plans, providing high-quality coverage to tens of millions of Americans in 40 states and D.C. ACHP is the only national organization advancing a unique partnership model of coverage and care that fosters a truly competitive market. The ACHP Foundation is a 501(c)3 dedicated to working with member plans to support innovative programs and partnerships that improve population health.
We believe Americans deserve the best health care in the world. Our members are on the ground in your communities, delivering innovative and competitive coverage. ACHP’s model brings together clinicians and health plans to deliver value for patients, employers and taxpayers.
About the Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has granted more than $4.6 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. The Helmsley Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Program is the largest private foundation funder in the world with a focus on T1D, with more than $1 billion to date granted to transform the trajectory of the disease and to accelerate access to 21st century care, everywhere. For more information on Helmsley and its programs, visit helmsleytrust.org.
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Contacts
Mat Gulick, ACHP Communications Director, mgulick@achp.org
Alison Carley, Helmsley Charitable Trust Communications Officer, acarley@helmsleytrust.org
