[Diabetes-talk] Latest updates of Denial of coverage for test strips and or meters for the blind

Sat May 14 22:45:58 UTC 2011

Cheryl:

Here in the state of Washington, there appears not to be a problem. I polled
the diabetics within our affiliate and asked the diabetes interest group in
the Washington Council of the Blind (the ACB affiliate in Washington) if
they had encountered any problems getting accessible bg meters and ancillary
equipment covered by insurers. No one in our affiliate seems to have had
problems and I did not get a response from the WCB diabetes interest group.
I therefore concluded that any problems along the lines of those you are
encountering in new York are at worst minor.

I assure you that I know exactly wich state statute in Washington should be
modified to prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to accessible
diabetes equipment. I'm ready to go if I hear of problems here.

Likewise, if there's anything I can do to assist the DAN affiliate in new
York to solve this problem, I will not hesitate to act.

Mike Freeman

-----Original Message-----
From: diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of cheryl echevarria
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 12:43 PM
To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Latest updates of Denial of coverage for test
strips and or meters for the blind

The information that is being provided to me comes from my Diabetic
Supplier, Advanced Diabetic Solutions, as well as the first posting.

As of this afternoon, I was recently informed that an Employee of the
Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped of Nebraska was denied
there supplies under Blue Cross Blue Shield.  So it isn't just Medicaid here
in NY.

Again, if you have Medicaid, Medicare, HMOs, Private Insurance, we need to
know why you are being denied for you diabetic supplies, what insurance
companies are doing this, this is the only way we can fight in government to
make sure that this is taken care of.

Leading the Way in Independent Travel

Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.Echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/> 
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10
Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise and Travel,
Inc.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: cheryl echevarria<mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> 
  To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind<mailto:diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 3:19 PM
  Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Fw: New York State Medicaid not paying for
Prodigyor Solo Meter Supplies

  Andy:

  I am posting this to the main board, nothing is hidden and shouldn't be.
I appreciate your help.

  Leading the Way in Independent Travel

  Cheryl Echevarria

http://www.Echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/<http://www.
echevarriatravel.com%3chttp//www.echevarriatravel.com/>> 
  631-456-5394

reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com<m
ailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com%3Cmailto:reservations at echevarriatrav
el.com>>

  Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
CST-1018299-10
  Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise and Travel,
Inc.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Andy
O'Hara<mailto:andyo at prodigymeter.com<mailto:andyo at prodigymeter.com>> 
  To:
reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com<m
ailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com%3Cmailto:reservations at echevarriatrav
el.com>> 
  Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 2:18 PM
  Subject: RE: [Diabetes-talk] New York State Medicaid not paying for
Prodigy or Solo Meter Supplies

  Ms. Echevarria,

  I am with Prodigy Diabetes Care, LLC in Charlotte, NC.  We are proud to
provide accessible products to the blind and low vision diabetic population.

  We have seen your post regarding NY Medicaid, and are very concerned about
it.  We are working to determine where this information arose.  We are
checking with our contacts with the State and its consultant for the
preferred drug list, and I also wanted to follow up with the source that
reported this news on your call.  Can you advise me of the origins of this
report so that we can make further inquiries?  Please provide contact
information if you have that.

  Thank you for your attention to this matter, and your vigilance on this
issue that is important to all blind and low vision diabetics,

  Andrew O'Hara
  Corporate Counsel
  Deputy Operations Manager

andyo at prodigymeter.com<mailto:andyo at prodigymeter.com<mailto:andyo at prodigymet
er.com%3Cmailto:andyo at prodigymeter.com>>

  -----Original Message-----
  From:
diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org<mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org<mai
lto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org%3Cmailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.o
rg>> [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of cheryl
echevarria
  Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 11:59 AM
  To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind
  Subject: [Diabetes-talk] New York State Medicaid not paying for Prodigy or
Solo Meter Supplies

  Good morning all:

  As of last night during our monthly NY State DAN Teleconference we have
found out that Medicaid in NY State has stopped paying for Prodigy and Solo
Meter strips, etc.

  Also, some of the HMOs and Private insurance companies as well.

  This is a very serious issue, and we need to find out if this is happening
in other states as well.

  I was not at National last year, but we do have a resolution in place.

  My thing is that this should be front and center on anything that we
should be doing this year, if we are sick and dying because we cannot get
our medications or take care of ourselves, the education and braille and all
else will not count. We need to be well and healthy so that we can fight for
the education, jobs and other things that we seek.

  Remember the #1 Cause of Blindness in this country is Diabetes.

  I am one of those people who at the age of 35 lost 85 percent of her
vision from Juvenile Diabetes, losing my kidneys at the same time to
Diabetes, Heart Attack due to Diabetes, Neuropathy and so on.

  We all need to stick together whether we use Prodigy, Solo Meter or any
other medical equipment out there that the sighted can use, but we cannot.

  Please respond. Let us know what state you are in what insurance you have,
and when did this start.  
  Resolution 2010-13
  Regarding Insurance Coverage of Accessible Equipment for Diabetics
  WHEREAS, standard medical treatment for diabetics calls for the patient to
monitor blood glucose levels so that he or she can make adjustments in the
amount of insulin needed; and 

  WHEREAS, certain health insurance plans dictate what brand of diabetic
equipment a member must use to comply with the treatment regimen, claiming
that this strategy controls costs for both the insurer and the insured; and 

  WHEREAS, most insurance companies contract strictly with one manufacturer,
who typically provides only inaccessible blood glucose meters and
inaccessible insulin injection devices, presenting a serious obstacle to
complying with the testing regimen for tens of thousands of blind people
with diabetes; and 

  WHEREAS, the failure to place accessible blood glucose meters and
accessible insulin injection devices on the insurers' formulary lists not
only is a barrier to independence for blind diabetics, but also adversely
affects their quality of life because of the added difficulties they must
confront in attempting to manage and control their diabetes; and 

  WHEREAS, the only way blind diabetics can acquire an accessible blood
glucose meter or accessible insulin injection device is through a long and
complicated process of submitting extensive medical documentation, and
approval is not guaranteed; and 

  WHEREAS, blind people have the same right to health care as their sighted
peers; and 

  WHEREAS, insurance companies must no longer be allowed to discriminate
against blind people because of their need for specialized equipment; and 

  WHEREAS, the denial of accessible equipment by insurance companies
undermines the emphasis on preventive care set forth in the 2010 federal
healthcare reform legislation: Now, therefore, 

  BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas, that
this organization strongly urge the secretary of health and human services
to eliminate discrimination against the blind by requiring that Medicare,
Medicaid, and all other medical insurance programs under the secretary's
jurisdiction cover accessible equipment for diabetics; and 

  BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urge state
legislatures and regulators to eliminate discrimination against the blind by
requiring private medical insurance companies to cover accessible equipment
for diabetics.

  Leading the Way in Independent Travel

  Cheryl Echevarria

http://www.Echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/<http://www.
echevarriatravel.com%3chttp//www.echevarriatravel.com/<http://www.echevarria
travel.com%3chttp//www.echevarriatravel.com/%3Chttp://www.echevarriatravel.c
om%3chttp//www.echevarriatravel.com/>>> 
  631-456-5394

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rriatravel.com%3Cmailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com%3Cmailto:reservati
ons at echevarriatravel.com>>>

  Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
CST-1018299-10
  Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise and Travel,
Inc.
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