[Diabetes-Talk] Oh insurance mess!

Wed Feb 1 01:07:46 UTC 2017

Weirdly, I found a community of people on Facebook who have been on the
pump, many for years, and hate it and go back on injections. Soe it is just
a temporary thing, but for some, it is permenant. I was so surprised by this
because I love being on a pump, and I've been on one for 13 years now. I
would hate to go back to injections.

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Jamie Gurganus via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2017 2:21 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jamie Gurganus <jamielgurganus at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Oh insurance mess!

Veronica,

      I'm so sorry to hear this.  I think you should appeal this decision,
since it is the only pump that is the most accessible for the blind.  After
18 years of using Accucheck pumps, I was forced to find another pump when
Roche decided to stop distributing their pumps in the U.S.  After visiting
with my diabetic educator, playing with the three available pumps and
finding the Diabetes Talk site to ask other diabetics who are blind, I came
to the conclusion that the Vibe was the best option.  I also use a Dexcom,
but I don't have it paired with the pump.  I like using the iPhone Share app
that allows me to know what my blood sugar is.  Pairing it with the Vibe
would be useless for me and would mean that I would have to input blood
sugars in to both the Dexcom and pump to calibrate it twice a day.  I'm
lucky that my kids are accessible every morning and night to put a blood
sugar in to the Dexcom, and I didn't find a need to also use the pump for a
receiver.  My insurance company did not have any issues with me getting a
new pump, since my Spirit pump's warranty had expired a year ago.  I did
have to provide a month's worth of blood sugars showing that I tested at
least four times aday.  Isn't that crazy?  Anyway, I sure hope you can
appeal and argue your case for the Vibe.  It really is a shame that
insurance would keep you from obtaining the only pump that a blind person
can use with limited sighted assistance.  I'm just two weeks  in to using my
Vibe, and I'm still struggling to learn how to do what I used to do so
easily on my Spirit.  I am fortunate to have two teenagers living with me to
help me when it doesn't do what I wanted it to do.  But, I can easily give
myself a bolus using the audible bolus feature.  Even though the Vibe
doesn't have audible beeps to let me know that I've depressed a button, the
buttons do make a slight click sound once you press them.  So, that part is
nice.  It is just learning how to blindly navigate a whole new set of menus.

Good luck, and please consider appealing the decision.  You shouldn't have
to go back  to injections after being on a pump.

				Jamie

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Veronica Elsea via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2017 1:04 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Veronica Elsea <veronica at laurelcreekmusic.com>
Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] Oh insurance mess!

Hi everyone!
I just found out that my insurance company denied coverage for the Animas
pump. Oops! This is what's wrong when the patient isn't involved in filling
out any of the forms. I had tried to get the Vibe and I'm pretty sure that
they denied the coverage because of the Dexcom half of the pump, which I
wouldn't need. Hahahaha, you fools, I already have it. But my endo couldn't
lift a little finger and say on the forms that I had the Dexcom and wanted
this pump because it was more useable by me. I can actually kind of do a
correction bolus on the Vibe, but definitely not on the Ping. And forms
being returned numerous times drew the process out so that I now have only a
couple of cartridges left. Yikes! My endo told me just to go off the pump.
Yeah right! So now I'm trying to get supplies for my Cozmo and hope that my
50 dollar E-bay wonder hangs in there for awhile. I was really hoping to do
the pump switch now, rather than in a couple of months when I'm scheduled
for a surgery that will mess up my life style for quite awhile. And later
this week I'm supposed to get a steroid injection which means I'll go
through my last couple of cartridges faster too. 
Of course, were I sighted none of this would be going on because this isn't
the pump I'd be getting. Anyway, I know there isn't anything any of you can
do but I appreciate you letting me rant a bit in the hope that I might get
another idea. But it's multiple factors here. Insurance companies are, well,
who they are. Doctors are in a hurry and just fill out forms without
attention to the person they affect. 
And the other stupid thing, ummm, ahem, this one was mine! Two weeks ago I
traveled and took my backup pens with me. I accidentally left them in the
hotel refrigerator. And when I called the hotel, nothing. Oops! So boy am I
stuck for now. Let the fun begin. Sheesh!
Veronica

"Guide Dogs, First Hand", Veronica Elsea's classic album is now available on
iTunes, along with other music from her and from the Guide Dog Glee Club. 
To learn more, visit:
http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
                Veronica Elsea, Owner
Laurel Creek Music Designs
Santa Cruz, California
Phone: 831-429-6407

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