Perhaps I am cynical. I go by my experience and what I have learned. For a truly scary view of the morals and ethics of private health insurance, give Wendell Potter’s book “Deadly Spin” a read. Bottom line, I don’t trust private insurance companies to ever act in my best interest.
You can likely qualify for free/reduced priced insulin and possibly strips. All the major pharmas have patient assistance programs. Google patient assistance. That will help put some cash in your pocket.
Try some other resources…your endo, JDRF, etc. Sometimes elderly patients pass away and the family would love to pass the supplies on to a good home like yours 
There’s no shame in letting them know your situation.
I would call your pump company and beg for a modest payment plan. Nothing wrong with begging. I don’t know what pump you bought, but I’ve heard MM sets pump installment payments pretty reasonably. You won’t be paying $10K retail for your pump. MM is about $6K? I thought, but insurance companies are given pretty deep discounts. Your contract price on the pump should be significantly less. If I remember correctly our Medtronic contract price was around $3800?? (been a while and this will vary with your insurance). Your insurance will chip in upto $1500 of that.
I hate those DME limits too. They are a real blow to those of us with chronic illnesses such as diabetes. It’s an easy way for the insurance co to manage costs.
What kind of pump you have?
Agreed. It is in their best interest always!
I heard Wendell Potter speak many times during the health care debate and his stories were chilling. It really should not surprise us, they have their stockholders to answer to after all.
medtronic mini paradigm…
i have about one month worth of supplies for it… then i don’t know where i am at.
I’ve seen it go both ways: insurance companies attempting to deny legitimate claims, and insured individuals committing fraud. Of course, insurance companies are in business to make a profit, but they don’t want to get screwed either. The bottom line is to read your policy and to know your avenues of appeal.
Have you considered a low-carb diet to reduce your need for insulin but retain a normal amount of energy so you can keep working?
I have extra 0f mio® Paradigm - mio® 9mm cannula- 32" tubing CLEAR Paradigm® 3.0 ml Reservoir for 7 Series , IV3000 Transparent Dressing 2 1/3" X 2 3/4" also a couple of skin tac that I can sent you if this fit your pump? FREE
I wish I had some kind of help to offer. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you get this worked out somehow. Please don’t feel like you’re a burden. It’s not your fault that our health care system sucks.
I really hesitate to suggest this, but I would think about keeping the pump and declaring bankruptcy.
Hey, kid, things always look the blackest right before things all go to hell… Tell you what, give me the names of all the mean people in this story and I will go find some of my old paratrooper buddies and we will find those mean people and bludgeon them into submission. Now, I bet you feel better already. I know I do.
Rock the Mean 'Un
What about the I-Port… it is an infusion port and you can take your shots through the port…
I undersatnd your frustration… we are living in very hard times… The Iport is $112.00 per month for 10 ports and they last for 3 days.
I don’t have Durable Medical Equipment with my husbands insurance and they won’t cover the pump or assist me but I heard that a law was passed called the Sweeny Law… covered in NY… here is what I found… perhaps it will help.
If you are a New Yorker and have been denied coverage by insurance or would like coverage for the Continous Glucose Monitoring systems I have great news.
A friend of mine spoke personally to NY State Assemblyman Robert Sweeney tonight. Here is what transpired.
Assemblyman Sweeney said that when he wrote the diabetes laws (anyone active in anything to do with diabetes in NY State know we commonly call them the Sweeney Diabetes Laws), he positioned it as such that the NY State Health Commissioner AT HIS DISCRETION can add to the existing law, any diabetes product, medicine or technology that he deems necessary to be mandated for coverage by insurance companies in NY State. He does not even need an act of legislation, he can merely add to it.
Assemblyman Sweeney has sent a letter to the Commissioner about adding CGMs.
I was informed by my contact that we all need to send letters VIA SNAIL MAIL (NOT email, or fax) directly to the NY State Health Commissioner if you want your voice to be heard. If we respond in huge numbers he will hear us. RAISE YOUR VOICE.
Let Commissioner Richard Daines know that we are in support of his correspondence with Assemblyman Robert Sweeney that the Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems should be included on the list for mandatory insurance coverage in New York State.
Here is the mailing address:
Commissioner Richard F. Daines
NY State Health Commissioner
State of New York
Corning Tower
Empire State Plaza
Albany NY 12237
well that doesn’t sound so bad considering I already went bankrupt from medical debt 2 months ago. But thank you for the suggestion 
considering and doing are two very different things. It would have to be gradual for me.