I have only been using the PDM, and just got bad news from my UHC insurance. Starting January 1 they are moving the freestyle strips to Tier 3, instead of Tier 1. One Touch will stay Tier 1. I may be forced to use a separate meter.
Anyone useing a separate meter now - and why. Do you always enter the BGs into the PDM?
Thanks, Stressing about this change.
(FYI - they are also changing Novolog to Tier 3 as well - I will be forced to go back to Humulog).
Well, I have been on Freestyle for many years, the Cozmore I used to use required them too. They have always been Tier 3 for me too (meaning $120 for a 3 month supply for me). My prescription just expired and my endo said she had an idea. She wrote the script as a "Formulary Prescription" which means that since the PDM is approved and the Freestyles are a required part of it they "MAY" change the tier...but I don't know yet as I haven't sent it in but will this week.
Also, if you go to the Abbott site and this link for the Promise Program they can get you up to $50 back on each 3 month supply.
Now to answer your question. Yes, I have also used other glucometers with my PDM and I just enter in the BG manually before setting a bolus. It works fine; however, with the Promise Program I can now get them cheaper than I used to pay for the Tier 1s.
I will let everyone know if the Formulary script works or not. (I'm not counting on it since Anthem BC/BS is usually my enemy.)
When I first went on the Omnipod I had test strips on hand. They were Wavesense test strips so I had to use a seperate meter. It is a little more convient to use the PDM for testing but its not the end of the world. Lets face it....insurance companies have us by the throat. Go ahead and use your one touch meter. It will mean that you have to carry another D item but you probably already carry enough of those anyway. You could try and fight them on this one but you wont win. Save your strength and piece of mind for the next fight. With insurance companies there is always another one just around the corner.
Ok enough of the negative stuff. If you insurance is covering your pods its all good. I love being on the Omni and wouldnt change for anything....except insurance not covering the pods. :-)
Our insurance company just sent the same note. I am more than frustrated! It is like they think it is no big deal to switch from one to the other, when you call to complain. Typically, I am a 'roll with it' kind of person, but this note from UHC made me so angry. You can sure see which the insurance companies are favoring. One can only speculate why that is, and none of the possibilities are good.
We have use a different meter on occasion and, of course, it can be done. It defeats the purpose of this great integrated system thought, doesn't it!
Be careful about using the Promise Program. I think the program is great - I have been able to get batteries for the original meter, and control solution absolutely free.
My issue was with CVS who did not tell me that I could pay less overall copay without using the Promise Program. Since I use more than the 50 strips a month my Promise Program would have been a $15 promise program copay. But if I used just my UHC it would have been $10 copay (now this was as it is not with the Tier 1 option - which will change come January).
Our insurance did this about a year ago - but we were able to appeal since it was what we needed for the Omnipod. I know other people who have successfully done this as well. Now we have to re-appeal every year (you know, just in case a cure is found and we don't need them anymore - but for some reason are trying to still buy them . . .) but we haven't had a problem. We've successfully appealed twice now.
I think the insurace companies have us by *another* body part. lol
I use a separate meter from the one with the PDM... I use the Accucheck Aviva, and manually enter my numbers. I didn't do it for insurance reasons or anything, but I was just diagnosed with Type 1 this year, and it was the meter I was given in the hospital, so I felt comfortable using it, and was too stubborn to change when I started on Omnipod. It doesn't bother me to carry it extra in the carrying case with the pod.
I always preferred the Accu Chek Aviva strips to the (old) Freestyle strip so I used those. I did not enter every bg into the Omnipod because I was lazy, but you could. I also had someone donate a lot of One Touch strips, so I used those as well. (The One Touch were my least favorite test strip of all I've tested ... too much blood required, too many error messages, etc.)
For the Freestyle Promise, have you considered doing mail order through your insurance company. You can order the 3 month supply from their pharmacy at a discount (usually 2 months co-pay for 3 months worth of supplies) and then mail in the Promise rebate. Freestyle/Abbot then mails you a check. I just did this for the first time and it was great! I got my 3 months worth of Freestyle strips for $15 after the rebate check for $45 arrived!
I agree with others. I would talk to your doctor and then appeal with the insurance. If you do use the One Touch, I would recommend their Ultra Mini because it is the smallest to carry around. There should be a lot of free offers for those and your insurance company should provide you with a free meter since they're "forcing" you to change brands.
There is a form you can file with most insurance companies to override the tier system if you cannot make a substitution. Some companies still won’t budge, but it’s worth a shot. I will have to look up the name of the form, but it basically has your doctor explain why you need to stay with the strips that work with your prescribed pump system. I believe it’s called a formulary override form.