Thank you, Dave.
My name is Matt Stimpson. Good morning, everyone.
I'm here today because I've experienced first-hand major issues with the disability tax credit as it stands.
To give you a bit of background, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2005. I was encouraged by the nurses at the adult diabetes education centre at the hospital and by my accountant to apply for this because, being self-employed, I have no health care benefits. My daughter was then diagnosed when she was two and a half. As Dave said, she's now 14. Basically for all of her conscious childhood she's had type 1 diabetes. My wife hasn't slept properly for over a decade because she worries about nighttime low blood sugar.
Type 1 diabetes has been a part of our lives for as long as I can remember. We've had to worry about paying for insulin supplies, advanced glucose monitoring devices and insulin pumps. Those costs exist regardless of how much time is spent per week on management. It really doesn't matter if I spend 14 hours a week or 100 hours a week on management, I am constantly worrying about this condition and my child's condition. It's 24-7 and 365.
We spend around $1,500 a month for our diabetes supplies that aren't covered publicly. As I said earlier, as a small business owner, I don't have private coverage. The pump supplies are $300 each per month. Insulin is $120 per month. We use flash glucose monitors because they're more affordable than the advanced glucose monitors, but they're still $190 a month. There are test strips at $60 a month. Glucagon is at $300 a year. Ketone strips are $25 per box. Then there are dextrose tablets to deal with the daily lows.
In the past, my family doctor refused to sign forms simply because he didn't agree that spending 14 hours a week managing my diabetes was realistic. However, he had no trouble signing Tilly's forms, and we have exactly the same disease. It's inequitable. Some people are approved and some people aren't, even if they have the same condition.
Unfortunately, if you're not aware of how to fight and advocate for yourself, you end up with the shorter end of the stick. The current eligibility process is a bit of an administrative nightmare. I strongly believe that time spent on type 1 diabetes is irrelevant, because it doesn't affect the thousands of dollars per year that it costs me and my family to survive.
Lastly, I'd love to thank JDRF for all their continued advocacy.
I appreciate the opportunity to appear before this committee. I truly hope you'll support the proposed amendment and remove or reduce the 14-hour threshold to make the disability tax credit more equitable and accessible for all Canadians living with type 1 diabetes.
Thank you.