[Diabetes-Talk] Oh insurance mess!

[TALey at ups.com]

Veronica, 
My mistake to assume you used the pump the same way I do. I only ever use the audio bolus function. Sorry about that. Good luck. 
Tom



-----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 3:16 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Veronica Elsea <veronica at laurelcreekmusic.com>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Oh insurance mess!

No, they are not the same. The correction bolus is very different and that is important to me. I sat here in my house in December and worked with both pumps. To give a correction bolus on the Ping, you enter your BG manually, then the pump shows how much insulin it thinks you need. At that point you have to hit the up-arrow key till the number on the display matches.
Obviously this is out for us. On the Vibe, you enter your BG reading, the pump shows what it thinks you need, just as in the Ping. But when you hit the up-arrow, it now selects that amount. So we still can't read the amount but we can use the feature if we so choose. And since I so choose, that's a big difference for me. And it's ridiculous to not have what I want because everyone else was in too big of a hurry to go to bat for me. Not to mention, having to fight for a pump I don't really want in the first place. <grin> But no matter what I do, it now has to go through appeals which are not fast. So we'll see what happens. Guess I'm just stubborn and I think I'm worth it. <grin> Stay tuned!
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


-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tom Ley via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2017 11:39 AM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: TALey at ups.com
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Oh insurance mess!

Hi Veronica,

The Animas Ping and the Animas Vibe are essentially the same in terms of giving a bolus as a blind person. I used the Animas Ping for almost a decade prior to getting the Vibe. Now, I didn't use the blood glucose meter that came with the Ping, but that did not keep me from using the Ping itself to give myself boluses. . 

When I switched from the Ping to the Vibe six months ago, I literally had nothing new to learn. So, if the Ping gets approved by your insurance and the Vibe won't, I would go that direction. The Animas Ping works 100% the same as the Vibe for me as a totally blind pumper.

Hope this helps.

Tom


-----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 2:04 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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