[Diabetes-Talk] Dexcom and Medicare.

Sun Mar 10 20:39:33 UTC 2019

Veronica,

You will have to write to me and tell me how to avoid bubbles then. 

I was able to get the G6, because my Medicare was supplemented by my now ex-husband’s Blue Cross Insurance. I started being covered by Humana on March 1.

    Jamie

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 10, 2019, at 3:26 PM, Veronica Elsea via Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> What I've been told is that Dexcom will start coverage in April. For G5
> users, they will automatically upgrade when it's time for a new transmitter.
> As for how I got on the VIP, honestly it was because I made so much noise
> and found their Medicare rep. I also got word to my local Dexcom rep and
> made sure my endo had all of my paperwork in. I doubt you could get on the
> program now because it's so close. I was told back in January that I was on
> the program but I didn't assume it was true, given how everything else was
> going. 
> And yes, the people who have been getting the G6 covered have been getting
> it because either they were on certain Advantage plans or their supplemental
> insurance covered it. I still can't believe what it was that we all waited
> for, though.
> As for cartridges, I have always filled mine without assistance and when
> someone has looked, no bubbles. They're pretty easy to hear. It turns out to
> be a good thing because there's no way I could prefill the syringes for the
> Omnipod. I'm glad that this wasn't a new experience for me along with every
> other aspect of using this pump. 
> But I think anyone who wants prefilled cartridges should always be able to
> get them, if the pump in question uses them. Oh, and credit where credit is
> due. It was Ed Bryant who really taught me, over the phone, how to avoid
> getting bubbles. I then made some adaptations to work with the Disetronic
> pump and the trainers liked it so much that they wrote my instructions into
> the manual for all users. I actually saved that manual, which has a braille
> label on it saying, Thanks Ed Bryant.
> 
> 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
> Jamie Gurganus via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2019 11:26 AM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
> Cc: jamielgurganus at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Dexcom and Medicare.
> 
> Thanks Bridget!  I'm hoping Midwest can still fill mine.  It sure has been
> nice receiving a weekly supply of cartridges for all of these years.  I keep
> them in a Tupperware container in the refrigerator  and just have to grab
> one when I need a new one.  I always have a surplus, which is nice.
> 
>                Jamie
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Bridgit
> Kuenning-Pollpeter via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2019 1:16 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter <bkpollpeter at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Dexcom and Medicare.
> 
> Jamie,
> 
> I used to fill my own cartridges, but I've found that with the Medtronic
> resevoirs, they are incredibly sensitive to air bubbles. Sighted people have
> a lot of difficulty filling them, so I'm no longer comfortable filling them.
> I usually have a sighted family or friend fill several at a time. But the
> difficulty they all have, including my nurse educator, makes me very uneasy
> to do it myself.
> 
> Bridgit
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jamie
> Gurganus via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2019 12:38 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: jamielgurganus at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Dexcom and Medicare.
> 
> Thanks Veronica!  So, I now have coverage through Humana, since I have
> Medicare and needed a plan for prescriptions.  Since I am under 65, I had to
> go with the Humana Advantage Gold plan.  As I am contacting everyone with my
> new insurance information this is what I am finding:
> 
> Medtronic doesn't accept Humana, so I had to find a supplier that does.
> They are currently verifying benefits and will need all of that information
> from my doctor.
> 
> Diabetes Supply Center of the Midlands where I had to get my Dexcom supplies
> through after going on Medicare does not accept Humana, so I am back with
> Dexcom.  They told me that they are allowing those who are already using the
> G6 to stay on it, since they don't want to see us go backwards for one month
> or so.  I was ready to go back to the G5, so I at least had a CGM.  I could
> have kissed that guy for telling me this.  They are also verifying benefits
> and requesting documents from my doctor.
> 
> I'm still in the process of calling places with my new insurance
> information, and I am anticipating that more places will give me issues.
> For example, I use Midwest Pharmaceuticals to get pre-filled insulin
> cartridges.  I've used them for 19 years, and I sure hope they accept Humana
> and vice versa.  I suppose I can join the rest of you in filling my own
> cartridges.  I started with Midwest when I was getting bubbles in my
> cartridges that were causing problems with the infusion of the insulin.  My
> kids are older now and able to check for me, if they are home.  My son may
> not be able to see the bubbles, since he has low vision himself.  Oh well,
> I'll find out the answer tomorrow.
> 
> My endo's nurse is probably cursing me right now, since she needs to send
> all of these places the information Medicare needs to get started with a
> provider.
> 
> Glad things worked out for you Veronica!  If anyone else has Humana, I'd
> appreciate any words of wisdom right now!
> 
>                Jamie
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Veronica
> Elsea via Diabetes-Talk
> Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2019 12:12 PM
> To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Veronica Elsea <veronica at laurelcreekmusic.com>
> Subject: [Diabetes-Talk] Dexcom and Medicare.
> 
> Hi everyone.
> Well, Dexcom is slowly beginning the roll-out of Medicare coverage for the
> G6. I managed to get myself on the VIP list and just received my first
> Medicare kit. 
> When you place your order, they ask you 8 questions. Most of them are kind
> of stupid, but that's Medicare. But question 8 is whether or not you'd be
> willing to use the receiver in conjunction with your phone. I said no, and
> the Dexcom guy said I'd need to say yes here. I then asked if this was being
> enforced. He said it wasn't. So I lied. I sent a note to Dexcom's Medicare
> representative about this because I was concerned that other blind people
> may not know this. 
> I did receive my first shipment. Boy is the packaging cheaper. The print
> manual is a bunch of pages in a bag rather than a nicely bound manual. The
> transmitter box fell apart when I was trying to figure out where the serial
> number was and how to read it. And everything says all over it, Medicare
> Medicare Medicare. For use only by Medicare recipients. Boy that's saving
> money all right. Why do they have to have their name all over everything and
> make companies package things in separate boxes just because it's Medicare?
> Dumb!
> And on Friday night, my first two sensors failed. After I called, Dexcom
> said, we'll send out Medicare sensors. I couldn't help myself. I want Dexcom
> sensors. I asked if the sensors were different. The guy kind of tripped all
> over his words and said they weren't. I'm beginning to wonder. I hope they
> are. In the meantime, good thing this last sensor managed to work. Sheesh! I
> can't believe I paid cash for 5 months while they negotiated this for a
> contract. Our government could have saved a ton of money if they'd just let
> the coverage of the G6 begin when it was approved by Medicare last July. My
> previous sensors didn't say Anthem all over them so why does Medicare have
> to do this? 
> Anyway, please help spread the word about question 8. I'm trying to get
> people to work on fixing this but in the meantime, I don't want any blind
> person to be discouraged from, or denied using the Dexcom for this stupid
> reason. Thanks.
> 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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> 
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