Glucose Sensors for Type 2 Diabetes Without Insulin: A Guide for Tampa Bay and Boca Raton Patients

The following scenario is hypothetical and does not describe a real patient.

Picture a 58-year-old who works in downtown Tampa and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes six years ago. She takes pills, not insulin. Every few months her A1C comes back a little higher than her doctor would like. She checks her blood sugar with a finger-stick meter now and then, but the numbers rarely explain why her sugars run high. Was it the Cuban bread at lunch? The late dinner? The week she skipped her evening walks because of the heat?

Her sister in St. Petersburg wears a small sensor on the back of her arm and checks her glucose on her phone. A friend in Boca Raton says his doctor told him those sensors are “only for people on insulin.” So who’s right?

A major new study published in October 2026 speaks directly to that question. This guide explains what continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are, what the research found, who might benefit, what the study can’t tell us, what Medicare covers right now, and which questions to bring to your next appointment.

Key stats: the CONNECT trial (NEJM, October 14, 2026)

• 283 adults with type 2 diabetes who were not using insulin, ages 21 to 84
• 22 U.S. primary care practices; 26 weeks of follow-up
• Average A1C in the CGM group: 8.8% → 7.2%
• Average A1C in the routine-care group: 8.7% → 8.0%
• Adjusted difference: 0.9 percentage points lower with CGM
• Time in the target glucose range (70–180 mg/dL): 21 percentage points higher with CGM (about 5 more hours a day)
• No severe low-blood-sugar events reported
• Funded by Dexcom

Source: Oser TK, et al. N Engl J Med, published online October 14, 2026 ¹.

1. What is a continuous glucose monitor?

A continuous glucose monitor is a small wearable device that estimates your glucose (blood sugar) level every few minutes, around the clock. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a CGM has three parts ²:

• A tiny sensor inserted just under the skin, often on the belly or arm, and held in place with an adhesive patch. It measures glucose in the fluid between your cells, which closely tracks the glucose in your blood.
• A transmitter that sends the readings wirelessly.
• A display, usually a smartphone app, a separate receiver or an insulin pump.

Disposable sensors are replaced every 7 to 14 days, depending on the model ². Instead of a few finger-stick snapshots a day, a CGM shows a continuous curve: how your glucose rises after meals, falls with activity, and behaves overnight.

There are three broad types ³:

• Prescription CGMs, which include alarms for high and low glucose.
• Over-the-counter (OTC) CGMs, which don’t have alarms. The American Diabetes Association lists Dexcom Stelo and Abbott Lingo as examples ³.
• Professional CGMs, which a clinician applies and reviews over a short period.

2. What did the CONNECT study find?

The CONNECT trial was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on October 14, 2026 ¹. Researchers enrolled adults with type 2 diabetes who weren’t using insulin and whose diabetes was managed in a primary care setting. To qualify, participants needed a screening A1C of at least 7.5%, a diabetes diagnosis at least six months old, and no insulin use in the prior 12 months ⁴. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups:

• CGM group (145 people): wore a real-time CGM and could see their glucose readings.
• Routine-care group (138 people): received usual diabetes care and wore a “blinded” CGM from time to time, so researchers could compare glucose data, but participants couldn’t see the readings ⁴.

After 26 weeks ¹:

• A1C dropped more with CGM. In the CGM group, average A1C fell from 8.8% to 7.2%. In the routine-care group, it fell from 8.7% to 8.0%. After adjustment, the difference between groups was 0.9 percentage points.
• More time in range. The CGM group spent 21 percentage points more of the day with glucose between 70 and 180 mg/dL. That works out to roughly five more hours a day, as Dexcom and trade press have described it ⁵⁶.
• Low blood sugar didn’t increase. Time spent below 54 mg/dL and below 70 mg/dL was slightly lower with CGM, and no severe hypoglycemia events were reported.

The researchers concluded that, for adults with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes managed in primary care, CGM led to a greater reduction in A1C and a lower risk of high blood sugar than routine care ¹.

Dexcom also reported that 97% of participants were still using CGM after 26 weeks, most of them daily ⁵. That figure comes from the company’s announcement rather than the journal abstract.

3. Who might benefit from a CGM?

The CONNECT results apply most directly to people who resemble the study participants: adults with type 2 diabetes, not on insulin, cared for in primary care, with an A1C of 7.5% or higher ⁴. Dexcom reported that the benefit was consistent across age, sex, race and ethnicity, body weight, diabetes duration, income, education, insurance type and other glucose-lowering medications, including GLP-1 drugs ⁵⁶.

Professional guidelines were already moving in this direction. The American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026 recommends CGM for adults with diabetes ³:

• who take insulin,
• who take non-insulin medications that can cause low blood sugar, or
• who are on any diabetes treatment where CGM helps in management.

The ADA also suggests that when continuous use isn’t practical, periodic use of a personal or professional CGM can help guide medication and lifestyle changes ³.

People who might find a CGM useful include those whose A1C is above their goal despite treatment, those whose finger-stick readings don’t match their A1C results, those starting or changing medications, and those who want to see how specific foods, activity or sleep affect their glucose. Whether a CGM makes sense for you is a decision to make with your own physician.

4. Limits and caveats: what the study doesn’t tell us

Every study has limits, and it’s worth understanding them:

• Industry funding. CONNECT was funded by Dexcom, and several authors are Dexcom employees ¹. That doesn’t make the results wrong, but it’s something to know when weighing the evidence.
• Short follow-up. The main comparison lasted 26 weeks ¹. A 26-week extension phase, in which both groups use CGM, is listed with an expected completion date of December 2026 ⁴. The trial didn’t measure long-term outcomes such as heart attacks, kidney disease or vision loss.
• One device. The study tested Dexcom’s G7 sensor ⁵. Results may not apply equally to every CGM, including OTC models without alarms.
• Not blinded. Participants knew which group they were in ⁴, which can influence behavior.
• Who was studied. Participants had an A1C of at least 7.5% ⁴. The results may not apply to people whose diabetes is already well controlled.
• CGMs don’t replace finger sticks entirely. The ADA notes that people using CGM should still have access to a standard blood glucose meter, for example when a reading doesn’t match how you feel ³.
• Skin reactions. Irritation or allergic reactions to the adhesive can happen with any device worn on the skin ³. The FDA reported local infection, skin irritation and pain or discomfort as adverse events in the study supporting the first OTC CGM ⁷.

5. Insurance and Medicare: where coverage stands today

Medicare (as of October 18, 2026). The Medicare coverage policy for glucose monitors (Local Coverage Determination L33822, which applies in Florida and nationwide) covers a CGM when a person has diabetes and is insulin-treated, or has a documented history of problematic low blood sugar ⁸. The policy states plainly that people taking only oral diabetes medications are not considered insulin-treated ⁸. In practice, most Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes who don’t use insulin don’t currently qualify.

Is that changing? Possibly, but nothing is final. MedTech Dive reported in August that Dexcom and Abbott expect the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to expand coverage to people with diabetes who don’t take insulin. Dexcom said it expects a decision before the end of 2026, with coverage taking effect in mid-2027 ⁹. As of this writing, the Medicare coverage database shows no proposed revision in a public comment period ⁸, and the timing remains uncertain ⁶. We’ll update this article if the policy changes.

Over-the-counter options. In March 2024, the FDA cleared the first OTC CGM, Dexcom’s Stelo, for adults 18 and older who don’t use insulin ⁷. The FDA noted that it isn’t designed for people with problematic low blood sugar, because it doesn’t alert users to that condition, and that users shouldn’t make medical decisions based on its readings without talking to their health care provider ⁷. OTC devices can be bought without a prescription, but they are generally paid out of pocket.

Private insurance. Commercial insurance coverage varies by plan. Check with your insurer about whether a prescription CGM is covered for your situation and what documentation it requires.

6. Questions to ask your doctor

Bring these to your next visit:

1. Based on my A1C and my current medications, could a CGM help me?
2. Am I taking any medication that can cause low blood sugar? Would a CGM with alarms be safer for me?
3. Would continuous use or a short trial (for example, a few weeks) make more sense for me?
4. Does my insurance or Medicare plan cover a CGM for me right now? If not, is an OTC device a reasonable option?
5. What glucose targets and “time in range” goal should I aim for?
6. How will we review my CGM data together, and how often?
7. What should I do if my CGM readings don’t match how I feel?

7. How a concierge primary care practice can help

A CGM produces a lot of data. The device alone doesn’t lower blood sugar; the benefit comes from what you and your physician do with the information. The ADA emphasizes that people using CGM should get training and ongoing education, including how to share and review their data to adjust treatment ³.

Concierge primary care practices are generally built around longer appointments and more direct access to your physician. That model can make it easier to talk through glucose trends, ask follow-up questions between visits, and coordinate with specialists when needed.

At AnswersMD, with locations in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Boca Raton, our physicians are welcoming new members. If you’re a patient, you can ask your physician whether a CGM fits your diabetes care plan, and how your numbers would be reviewed together.