I hate to say it…but the words “insurance company” and “logic” are seldom used is the same sentence! Although MY insurance company calls me every week telling me I need to enroll in thier Diabetes Education program, they still give me a hard time wheniver I try to buy strips, b/c they say 8 times a day is too often for me to be testing! (these are the same people who are gnna educate ME???)(pure logic)
You’ve already been answered about using any meter - but I will echo what some others have said . . .we were told last year that our insurance would no longer cover any strips except two kinds - but when I explained to my insurance that my son’s meter was actually part of his pump (I didn’t bother pointing out that my nine year old could carry around his pump and separate meter if he had to) and that freestyle were the only strips that would work in his pump, the insurance company made an exception. I think they have the blanket policy so that they can pay for the cheapest strips and meters for most people, but that if you have a good reason to need another type at least our insurance was willing to change it. We had a horrendous fight for the Dexcom, but there wasn’t an issue with the strips.
Fred,
I’m in the same boat as you. My local OmniPod rep told me about this special deal thru Freestyle and it works great. Call freestyle and let them know that your insurance doesn’t cover it but does cover X companys at $XX copay. They will send you a card that once you activate it, bring it to your local pharmacy and you will be covered.
In my case it would have cost me $65 monthly and instead I get 300 strips @ $15 monthly. It is a great deal and way easier to use with the meter. Good luck Gail S.
I got into the same program, it’s called the “Promise” program, and it is VERY helpful, and prosperous! Give them a call or visit their site online to get details.
Thanks Gail, that’s great!
Also theres a sports band thats useful to keep the pod on your arm… I dont know the name of it offhand… but if you use an arm site for the pod, you can use like Ace bandage, or the sports wrap … I just cant remember the company who makes the one people are using… To help keep it on your arm in addition to the adhesive…
One final word - there is a new pump in the owks (I have a sample, not the real thing…but I’m convinced that it is real) which is exactly like the Omnipod except the “body” (insulin reservoir) is detachable and reattacable (which is great for folks who excercise or participate in sports, ie Karate) (and also for folks who dont like a certain site, you can just move it, and not lose a pod or any insulin) it really sounds great, though I must admit I have forgotton the name of the compahy that is launching it in 2011. The name of the pump is the “Solo” (I’m sure you can look it up online and get all the information, that’s what I did)(I just forgot it all. I’m sorry, I had a brain hemmhorage on 2005 and never fully recovered!)
Wow, that sounds close to perfect for me. Wish I had the patience to wait.
I wouldn’t suggest waiting, the release date’s been moved to sometime in 2012 last I heard because it got sold to a larger company. Seems to keep getting pushed back. You can get a sample from their website (the company is Mendigo, I believe it’s www.solo4you.com) but they haven’t even started rolling it out to limited markets yet and that was supposed to happen back in January.
Do you ever get the feeling you’ve followed Alice down the rabbit hole? You should register with them. You could probably teach 'em a thing or to.
I hadnt heard the movebacks…but Medigo IS the name of the company, so If that’s where Revecca got her info then that is correct. Sorry to hear we have to wait until 2012, uinless this (and I hope it does) puts a flame under Insulets ■■■ and they launch a knockoff, before Solo even sees the liight of day!
My info came from here: http://www.diabetesmine.com/2010/05/sizing-up-the-solo.html… It’s a good article comparing the Solo and the Omnipod too. But I am pretty sure that even though Omnipod won’t have detachable pods by 2012 we will have smaller ones. From what I heard from those who tried the trial Solo pod it wasn’t all that easy to detach anyway.
Wow, I love the idea of a pod, but everytime I see a close-up picture of one attached to someone’s belly, it reminds me of some parasitic larva from a space alien or something. =/
I’m an avid computer gamer. We get developers with the next great idea all the time, with in house testing and beta testing, weekly developer notes, and beautiful screenshots. In the end, most of it turns out to be vaporware.
Hope this isn’t vaporware!
My husbands work recently switched insurance companies. Anthem BCBS was the old and now Blueshield CA is the new. At first they said freestyle was not a preferred provider, but my Dr. called and got it arranged. So, maybe your Dr. can call your insurance. Good luck
Actually the rights (and the company according to this press release) to the Solo (also referred to as Solo4You) was bought out by Accu-Chek/Disetronic/Roche
Hence why people have stated the release of the Solo has been delayed…
http://www.roche.com/media/media_releases/med-cor-2010-04-13.htm
http://www.bernardfarrell.com/blog/2009/08/more-on-medingo-solo.htm
I was going to say the exact same thing that Jake just mentioned. Medingo was bought by Roche, which is part of the delay.
The Solo originally wasn’t going to have any built-in meter w/ the PDM portion either…but since Roche now owns it, I’d expect that to change (in my opinion it would be dumb for them not to)…which could also be one of the delays.
And just as a heads up, b/c of the detach-ability of the reservoir from the base, the Solo is not waterproof like the Omnipod is…so if you like water activities (swimming, boating, etc), it’s something to consider.