I’m currently maintaining my bg levels using ONLY diet and exercise. I was previously on Metformin, but I was experiencing too many lows. My mostrecent A1c is 5.4. As the weather has gotten colder, and my teenager is less willing to babysit my toddler, it has become more difficult to get the exercise I so badly need. I contacted my insurance (Alameda Alliance for Health/Medi-cal) to find out if health club membership is covered, or at least supplemented and the answer was “no.” I explained to the customer service agent the benefits of gym membership being covered vs. paying for complkcations down the line. Has anybody else challenged their health insurance agency and been successful in having more treatments approved? Any tips would be apprechiated! Thanks!
I think getting insurance to cover a gym is a total lost cause. I do think you can make progress on getting coverage for your gym fees under your HCSA, FSA or HSA. According to the IRS, while you can't get reimbursement for gym fees just to look better, lose weight or feel better you can use it to treat a specific condition. I had my doctor write a prescription to got to the gym 3 times a week as a treatment for my diabetes and had it successfully reimbursed. Of course I haven't actually been audited to see if it does pass muster, but I believe it follows the letter and spirit of the IRS rules.
I agree, lost cause.
Update. I was not able to get gym membership covered. So I did the next best thing I could think of. I sold my automobile and now commute solely by bicycle and walking. I’m lucky enough to live close to work and resources, to be able to do so. I was able to drop 20+ lbs by also switching to a low carb way of eating. My diabetes file was officially declared “reversed” by my PP.
Once I was stamped “reversed,” the insurance company promptly stopped covering my testing supplies and extra office visits. No good deed goes unpunished, right?
Well, after one year of not being able to test, yet continuing to take excellent care of myself, I became very ill. Wouldn’t you know it…my A1c had gone up by nearly 10 points! Now I’m taking Glipizide and have the beginning stages of kidney disease.
I am making it my personal duty to advocate on behalf of others who are labelled “reversed” and being cut off from testing supplies.
With that kind of increase in your A1c and complications (over the course of 1 year during which I’m assuming you kept up with your healthy diet and exercising), I suspect you might actually have LADA and not Type 2. I could be in the wrong ballpark, but I’d have LADA ruled out if you haven’t already done this. Good luck and keep us updated!
Reversed! That is just such a lie. Why would a doctor say that? It just makes my hair catch on fire when people say "reversed, “prevented” or “cured.” In this case, your doctor (who should have known better) actually harmed you.
I second that!
Your hair must catch on fire often.
I really apprechiate that suggestion. It hadn’t occured to me, to investigate that. I’m having some blood drawn on Tuesday and will request that testing be done. I did keep up my diet. I sold my car and ride my bicycle every day. Thank you.
let us know what happens. wow.
I think my head just exploded. Doctors should know better. This is bordering on malpractice, IMHO.
Does anybody know if LADA (1.5) can be triggered by pregnancy? My first experience with diabetes was Gestational. Then it seemed to “go away” after having given birth, then reappeared sometime in the 2 years after.
I was diagnosed as T2 with an A1c of 12.0 three years late (different Doctor, I moved) my A1c was 6.0 and th doctor suggested I eliminate the last of the meds. I said I would try it. If your off meds he’s said you are no longer a diabetic, I will change your diagnosis.
I refused to let him change it, and requested a second opinion., which stopped him from any further action. He was not happy and added a few choices remarks.
Bottom line I fired him and filed a formal complaint against him with the HMO.
Doctors are only consultants,
Before diabetes, I had faith and trust in doctors. Until recently, I had no idea that I could tell my doctor “no, I don’t want you to change my disgnosis.” You bet, I did fire that PCP and have changed to a new one. I personally hold that previous PCP responsible for my lack of treatment for the past year. I am also much more outspoken about what exactly I do want.
This is why the launching of the Diabetes Prevention Program riles me. I understand the longing to believe that diabetes will go away, but unfortunately that equates to a higher mortality rate. Rather than giving the money to the $6 Billion weight loss industry, I would rather see funding for greater access to insulin, testing supplies and CGM, and better education for health care providers.
Have you done anything about it? I don’t know that I’d go so far as to sue depending on how much damage has been done, but I do think I’d at least write a letter to the Medical Board of your state about your experience. This doctor really needs to understand that what they did was not OK.
I feel the same, Mary37, and have made it my personal mission to find out more about how to get rid of the whole “reversed” medical terminology and mindset.
As far as what can be done about my previous PCP, well, she was actually following what has been set as a medical standard. I’ve already looked into it, as far as the clinic I go to. The blame was actually placed on my “deceptive A1c numbers from last year.”
Set as a medical standard by who? The clinic? None of my doctors would use the term “reversed.” They would have listed me as controlled through diet and exercise, with instructions to continue testing and monitoring. The clinic needs educating. Who knows how many others this practice has harmed at that clinic. You have the beginnings of kidney damage. Others may have far worse complications. Is there perhaps a Diabetes Advocacy group that can get involved and bring them up to speed on the type of harm they are doing?
That is exactly what I intend to research and tackle. I just found out about how bad the damage is last week. Just give me a little time…