[Diabetes-Talk] Dexcom and Medicare.

Mon Mar 11 14:23:06 UTC 2019

Julie,

Exactly, me too. Something about these Medtronic resevoirs. Used to fill my
own with Cosmo and Animas, but now with Medtronic, it's an issue because of
the air bubbles. And sighted people have a problem too.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk <diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Julie
Mclean via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Monday, March 11, 2019 5:33 AM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind' <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Julie Mclean <julie.mclean at cox.net>
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Dexcom and Medicare.

Hi Veronica, 

Congratulations on being able to fill your own reservoirs. My sister-in-law
does  mine for the Medtronic 530 pump and she is a pediatric nurse. She
struggles with air bubbles every timethat is why I have resigned myself to
needing sightedd help.   

Best,
Julie 

-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-Talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Veronica Elsea via Diabetes-Talk
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2019 4:27 PM
To: 'Diabetes Talk for the Blind'
Cc: Veronica Elsea
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-Talk] Dexcom and Medicare.

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

_______________________________________________
Diabetes-Talk mailing list
Diabetes-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Diabetes-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/jamielgurganus%40
gmail.com

_______________________________________________
Diabetes-Talk mailing list
Diabetes-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Diabetes-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/bpollpeter%40hotm
ail.com

_______________________________________________
Diabetes-Talk mailing list
Diabetes-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Diabetes-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/jamielgurganus%40
gmail.com

_______________________________________________
Diabetes-Talk mailing list
Diabetes-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Diabetes-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/veronica%40laurel
creekmusic.com

_______________________________________________
Diabetes-Talk mailing list
Diabetes-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Diabetes-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/julie.mclean%40co
x.net

_______________________________________________
Diabetes-Talk mailing list
Diabetes-Talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Diabetes-Talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/bkpollpeter%40gma
il.com