[Diabetes-Talk] Questions Re Medicare Coverage of DexcomG5 System.

[Eileen Scrivani]

Jamie, 

I’m confused by both Dexcom & Medicare. After all the system works based on Bluetooth transmission, so ...

In the first place how would Dexcom shut Bluetooth off when shipping all new units to Medicare patients. And, second, how does Medicare say people would have to pay cash for the Bluetooth. It doesn’t make sense to me.

Eileen


From: Jamie Gurganus via Diabetes-Talk 
Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2017 9:00 AM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' 
Cc: Jamie Gurganus 
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Questions Re Medicare Coverage of DexcomG5 System.



-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Eileen Scrivani via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2017 4:20 PM
To: NFB Diabetes Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Eileen Scrivani <etscrivani at verizon.net>
Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] Questions Re Medicare Coverage of DexcomG5 System.

Hello List,

I started making inquiries about the DexcomG5 continuous Glucose Monitoring system today and I have to say I am quite confused. I’m hoping those who have dealt with Medicare can clarify some of my confusion about coverage. 

First, I called Dexcom directly and was told that under the Medicare guide lines they must turn off Bluetooth capability when shipping out the system to people covered by Medicare. They told me that if as a blind person they found out I was using the IPhone app as the receiver with the system then I would jeopardize losing my Medicare coverage altogether as I understood it and that Medicare would also make me pay back any costs to them from supplies already sent out and covered by them. 

Then I called the Medicare office to find out what I need to do to request an exception and was told there is nothing in their guidelines that states they will not cover one of these systems, just that they will not pay for an IPhone, tablet or other non-medical device. And, that they will also “not pay for the Bluetooth capability”. 

So my question is how does someone pay or not pay for Bluetooth? Which part of the DexcomG5 CGM system would Medicare not cover, is it the sensors, the transmitter or the receiver? I thought that Bluetooth was automatically built into the various components of the CGM system. I’m not sure what I am not understanding in this craziness.  Does anyone know?

Thanks.
Eileen,

      I'm kind of confused about Dexcom's response.  No matter which device you use as the receiver, it has to use blue tooth to transmit from the transmitter to the device.  

Jamie

Eileen 


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