Dear Fellow Type I Diabetics 
and Pumpers
Part III - Looking for FEEDBACK/COMMENTS on “HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE THIS SITUATION” at the VA MEDICAL CENTER (if YOU had Veteran’s Affairs Medical Coverage and was looking at PUMP THERAPY instead of MDI)! FYI: I can’t change my Primary Care, I really can’t see anyone else aka: DIABETIC CARE SPECIALIST cause there is no one else but one DCS in Minneapolis – But if you had this Veterans Medical Service or Medical Coverage how would you handle this situation)
My Story in short (I tried to keep short ):
I am a TYPE I Diabetic My diagnosis came 25 years ago. I became severely ill after my 4 year enlistment in the United States Marine Corps!! I was sick severely for a 4-5 months after my HONORABLE DISCHARGE and had the typical MARINE CORPS ATTITUDE “It will go AWAY… It never went away!!! + I was never ever sick other than a cold, mumps, measles, a couple abscessed teeth and a couple bouts of Strep Throat! I ended up in Kidney/Liver and Pancreas failure or not working + also had Mononucleosis and few other issues Low and behold I ended up a TYPE I Diabetic and spent 2 ½ + other weeks in hospital!!! With that said… I have been struggling with my DIABETES CARE in the LAST 3-4 years re: terrible control (Severe LOWs and HIGHs and even care to be honest. My A1C’s have been as good as 5.9 due to being very very diligent kicking me in the ■■■ care and as bad a 10 to 12.8’s (a numbers of years at that rate). I also have neuropathy in my hands, arms, feet, legs and my colon! Hence, the Pump. I have been seeing and reading that this (pump therapy) aids in maintaining a better control over the HIGHs and LOWs??? It was never really been offered and they don’t (VA Doesn’t promote PUMP THERAPY not ONE BIT they don’t due to its expense) and my children have been BUGGING ME about for 4 + years and they have friends who are on pump therapy and THEY LOVE IT and Help their friends get control of their life and Diabetes period!!!
(MY MODIFY POSTING FROM 1/13/2011 and HOW TO handle this situation if you had VA…)
I am looking for some feedback on Insulin Pumps, in particular, the time frame from start to finish (i.e. from inquiring about a pump, from talking to your Endocrinologist/Internal Med/Primary Care Doctor about a pump, from concerns if any, training with nutritionist/dietitian , and then receiving insulin pump using it.)
I am not looking for personal issues. Not that detailed INFO. But, how long it took to get your pump or get placed on pump therapy. I have been literately working on getting (PUMP) for now 11 months – My Diabetic Specialist at VA Medical Center She told me on 27th of Dec 2010 I still have 2-3 months to go and told the MEDTRONIC REP on Jan 14, 2011 we are QUOTE “We are getting Closer” or longer till I receive my pump or go on pump therapy. They/She claims I can’t have any more lows (below 60) and any more HIGH HIGHs (300-400 range) I have to be in middle… I felt for 6 months I should have been on and even 10 months ago…BUT I’ve been WAITING for 11 + MONTHS and this is unacceptable!!!.. (modified from original and refer to posting on 1/13/10).
AGAIN to all (Tudiabtes Members) who have contributed comments in my previous discussion on Part I and II
A Sincere and Greatful Thank You for your support
Dean
Hi -
It took me about 3-4 months to go through the process at Joslin from the initial “Is the Pump for You” class through the actual pump start.
Maurie
My son got on the pump in about a month. 3 classes and that was it. Thw company Animas handled all of the insurance issues.
Check with with your doctor to see what type of classes you are required to take for the military to approve your pump. I had to take a carb counting class, a healthy eating class, a carb counting on the pump class and the setting up of the pump class. Have your doctor write letters of necessity for the classes and then sign you up for them once you have been approved. The first two classes you should have had some form of when you were placed on MDI.
My pump company sent my insurance company the bottom line of cost for them to cover me for being a brittle (non-controlled) diabetic. Have your pump company send the same information to your insurance company.
Have the doctor remind the insurance company that there is no cure for type 1 diabetes. Have the doctor rewrite the letter of necessity to include the c-peptide test results proving that you are a type 1 diabetic. Have the doctor go into detail about all of the complications you are having now and how the complications are only going to get worse if you do not get control of your glucose levels. The more the detail the better. Request that your doctor send you a copy of the letter for your records.
Log all of your phone calls and correspondence that is sent to you or you send to someone else. Go into detail in your log. Time spent on the phone, who you talked with, what was discussed. Start talking with supervisors.
Do not give up!
Sorry for the repeat. Has your doctor done a GAD 65Test? Has that been included in the letter of necessity?
Classes BEEN there COMPLETED THAT (online medtronic - some kinda hard to follow I DON’T The pump to set controls yet or see them work) In fact I contacted the Medtroni Rep and we or she gave me a dog and pony show with ??523 MiniMed Paradigm Revel Pump including in fusion (CGMS VA WILL NOT COVER PER HER and VA TOO EXPENSIVE THEY SAY AND UNPROVEN…THat will change and Nice talk with Veterans Rep for Senator Amy Klobkuecher will take care of that including my servere diabetes issues HIGHs and LOWs. aka: BRITTLE DIABETIC I AM CONFIRMED IN MY VA RECORDS from my Primary Care Phyiscian and Medibolic Clinic… I get my 100% from a number of related problems stemming from my diabetes (combined including unemployablity which is my main compnet of disability rating and approved in Washington DC) I have no insurance NONE and my health care is taken care of by the VA Medical 100% of so its GOVT HEALTH CARE at its finest!!! I as said stand by!!!
Does the military only cover the Medtronic pumps? Do you have the right to choose which pump you would like to use? Just wondering.
Sorry if I am offering repetitive advice, but have you tried the patient advocate? http://www.minneapolis.va.gov/patients/pati_reps.asp
If that doesn’t work, maybe you can seek free legal help from these guys:
http://www.nvlsp.org/contact_info.htm
Keep us posted, and thank you for your service, Marine!
Nope… They only one they cover is MEDTRONIC (MiniMed Paradigm Revel 523/723) and so they say NO CGMS (to expensive and according to Medtronic rep they agree “no conclusive evidence that it adds in the care of diabetic) again, back in March of last year We met at my first meeting with DCS after I found out (not knowing what I know now) how long it was going to take to get on a pump! I almost walked out of her office and she told me if you don’t like the rules (cause your allegedly getting PUMP free at no cost) “Then, you can go outside the VA and pay for your own and start!!!” QUOTE un QUOTE… I told her I am 100% disabled Vet so no insurance and no assistance… and that is plain ridiculous and asinine!!! (I almost told her to get f…- I am keeping nice and somewhat clean)
So I have to play by their RESTRICTIVE RULES BS RULES!!! I have done everything EVEN ABOVE AND BEYOND… Carbo count to the nith degree, Correction/Meal Bolus, correction only, charting and I MEAN CHARTING for weeks and including a full month of what I eat I MEAN EVERYTIHNG I ATE/ including the doses I gave myself and treating LOWS and HIGHS (I put a stop to this….it drove me nuts) but, I take my blood sugar 15-20 times a day easily do this EVERY SINGLE DAY and now taking 10-12 shots even if minuscule corrections to keep them at 60-180 (THIS IS HARD HARD WORK day in & day out 24 hours a day) Just to show them that or now they (Bld Sgs) are stable enough to put me on PUMP THERAPY!!! This will include another A1C Test on the 31st of Jan and ANOTHER POINT LESS LAME APPOINTMENT with my DCS to DO WHAT I don’t know WHAT.!!! I have researched and as of last night/yesterday take the MiniMed On-Line Pump course with NO PUMP yet But, I finish all tests and answered all the questions on aspects of diabetes…I have been for 6+ month watching and reading on line various outlets on use of INSULIN PUMPS (Medtronic mostly…. So I have been ready for 6/7 month to be put on PUMP THERAPY!!! I have complied with EVERYTHING the VA Medical Center required or what my DSC required me to complete and I EVEN took THE initiative 6 months ago to read up on and self train myself on MEDTRONIC PUMPS!!! So I wa a ahead of the ballgame!! When the time came to get (I thought SOONER than LATER)
And to GREGO Yes, I have an they (VA Patient Rep) said to talk with MEDTRONIC REP (Which I have…last week) that has went over like a LEAD BALLOON!!! and again, my DCS told the Medtronic Rep “WE ARE GETTING CLOSER” on Friday So far NO HELP my next step AGAIN, is to involve my PRIMARY CARE… But was told she has NO WEIGHT it out of her hands and can’t assist (but, I am writing her a detailed letter /re: my 11+ month process and can she help along and also adding TUDIABETES COMMENTS and other DOCUMENTATION to support my cause and urgency in this matter…I might also cc: Senator Amy Klobuchar and send letter to her office…
I might be pissin people off, but to damn bad!!! SO Stop treating me like I am a inviolate, a old curmudgeon, and just jumped off a turnip truck…I am pretty inteligent!! (I believe they do this to make it SOOOOOOOOO CUMBERSOME and if They succeed in making my life sooo miserable, they don’t have to support or supply any PUMP THERAPY!!! I think they WON’T say that in public, but under their breath they tell Pharmacists, Diabetic Specialists, and others to make the patient’s life so miserable they will decline. I challenge ANYONE to say different… I might lose a battle BUT, I WILL WIN THE WAR!!! Stand-by & you watch!!!
Thank you soooo much for the help and forwarding of website/s!!! This is what Technology and Other can help most or all of US who have issues or needed or help or assistance in Education in the Diabetic World THE SHARING OF INFOMATION is VITAL to the Nith Degree!!!<</em>br />
As in my state above I have went to Patient reps and… (read from above)
I invite others to pass along anything they may help or assist me and or others like myself in this situation!
RE:SHARING OF INFORMATION and WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN and WHY!!!
Semperfi
You are typically discharged usually immediately after or months after diagnosis (MEDICAL DISCHARGE) I was Honorable Discharged, then months after getting outI became EXTREMELY ILL for 4-5 month… Hmmm almost Died That’s how sick I was!!!
Anyway, there are no TYPE I Diabetics in the Military… Now Type II yes, but if they require insulin therapy later they are to discharged or if close to retirement. Then they retire earlier typically!!!
I am in the same boat! I have had two congressmen and the Wounded Warrior Project do inquiries about why I do not yet have a pump. I told them I missed two appointments because I was being treated like a carpet. D@mn them! I dont know what the heck they want me to do? I already meet the criteria B on the insulin pump with constant glucose monitor requirements. WTF I am hating life right about now!
Marty,
hang in there… !!! Again, It took me 2 years at VA Mpls MC …complete and utter ■■■■■■■■ but, I had to remain positive and point blank patient!!!
email me for any other help deansemperfi@yahoo.com or call me
S/F
Dean (aka: Dino)
Bro, I feel your pain. I am buying a house 60 miles west of here (puts me in a different region). At my first primary care visit I reviewed the pump/CGMS policy at my new primary care. He concluded that I met the requirements for the pump with CGMS and is sending me to Oklahoma City VA Endo to get started. That’s where I am now. I checked with Blue Cross Insurance and they won’t cover a penny of my diabetes care because it is service connected. I will post more as I continue the mission…
I’ve had my share of challenges battling the VA bureaucracy over the years. I was having fits related to a claim and out of sheer frustration I sent an e-mail to a columnist for the Washington Times who goes by the pseudonym of “SGT Shaft.” It took about a week before my problem was solved by some Under Secretary at the VA. It is a last resort, but they are very sensitive to bad press.
Here in NC I’ve been having an unexpected string of real good luck. I have an excellent health care team who go the extra mile. One key is that being upbeat, positive and cooperative works wonders.