Medicare and CGM's

Thanks Laddie! Time now for the final push over the summit.
The exciting part is to think we are all but guaranteed passage if it gets to the floor.
On to the Senate! :+1:

1 Like

Now at 227, 5 more co sponsors have jumped onboard.
Best I can say is Thanks Everyone! :+1:

2 Likes

Now @ 230. Three more have added their names as co sponsors. Things are looking up. :+1:

1 Like

Well folks 1 more Senator has become a cosponsor. Sen. Richard Burr ( R. NC )
We are now within 7 votes of that magic 51 number or a majority for passage.
If you feel so inclined to give him a call to offer your thanks and support that would be great. His number in DC is 202-224-3154. Thanks for your help.
We also have 244 cosponsors in the House,

2 Likes

Of related interest:

“Two judges say the device is necessary, not precautionary. Will this end the debate?”

At least two people have challenged Medicare all the way to the top, recently, and seemingly won. Hopefully that’ll help pave the way for others and help push legislation like this through when the time comes.

2 Likes

Medicare is horrible. Limits on strips, and technology means more type 1s are having serious consequences. Healthcare should be between a person and her or his doctor. Not between a chintzy insurance plan and drug companies.

1 Like

Excuse me, but how exactly do you make a sensor last for fourteen days? My husband is on Medicare. He had a Dexcom for a week (that is covered by insurance, for diagnostic purposes). I talked to a rep about assistance for people without insurance coverage. They will help you a little, but the cost is still prohibitive if you use one sensor a week.
When I asked the rep about using the sensors longer, she basically said that she couldn’t address that, since she works for Dexcom, but that if I looked on the internet I could probably find quite a bit.

My Dexcom asks me to get a new sensor every 7 days. When that happens, I RENEW the original sensor, instead. I use the “stop sensor” option, and then use the “start sensor” option. That causes the original sensor to resume. Some people keep renewing a sensor for three weeks. I have not been so lucky since the accuracy is usually very poor after two weeks. I start a NEW sensor every 10-16 days, when the accuracy makes the sensor very unreliable.

2 Likes

I do the same as Richard157 with my daughter’s Dexcom with great success.

Spent the evening with the Regional Coordinator for Heritage Action for America and got to pick her brain on how to get a bill out of Committee.
Her suggestion was for us to blow up the phones of a couple of members of the house.
I will be speaking with her again on picking the correct Members and just exactly what points to cover.
This is not something I am able to do on my own. It will take at least 50 other people.
Here is how it works. At a pre-arranged time everyone calls the one or two Representatives all at once, the first call will be answered by some poor intern. after that the phone calls work there way to the chief of staff at which point they do take notice and figure out that people really care about this issue and then look into it further.
Now if I can get a number of people to commit to following through I will continue to make the necessary arrangements with Heritage Action in DC.
If anyone is interest please reply
, if not I will drop this.
Later Len

1 Like

Sorry I should have added that there is a time frame to get this done.
I can give it a week to collect the numbers needed.
We are coming to the end of the legislative session.
At that point we get to start over completely.
Have it reintroduced into congress, sent to committee, getting co sponsors, the whole process starts from scratch.

I just sent you a message, but bottom line:

I’M IN!!

1 Like

We now have 3 that are willing to call. Guess we’ll see what happens from here, hope we can pyt this together!
Later Len

I would be willing to make the calls but think maybe I am responding to late. Please let me know the status of your call plan. I’d be willing to work toward next years efforts also.

Yoga here is my email address send me yours and I can get you that info.

@YogaO I’m sure you know how to pm @Lhovan49 - please do!

we discourage strongly folks sharing private emails publicly :slight_smile:

Well evidently the interest isn’t out there right now so I have started looking at another avenue of attack.
I would like to thank those that did respond.

Now at 249 co sponsors in the house. :+1:

People do not understand Medicare. Next year Medicare will cover even less of necessary drugs.

Hello Richard157–Replying quite some time after your post. Reading the “bills”: my Endocrinologist documented to medicare TWICE!! Yep, TWICE!! for my Medical Necessity for CGM due to: Type I for > 50 years/hypo unawarerness/gastroparesis/
diabetic peripheral neuropathy/retinopathy (now)/TOO many HYPO incidents with me ending up in the E.R. via E.M.S. Yet! Medicare DENIED BOTH TIMES!! It’s completely INSANE!! And: last I spoke with a rep. at medicare: “cannot find any denials”. WHAT?!
Informed Doc’s office= nothing. Thus, am UNSURE if Medical Necessity Docs were actually submitted; or, perhaps someone in 1 office or another being lazy & NOT doing their work properly. THIS type thing enrages me. Truly!
Thus…gripe continues… I bought a CGM myself. Out of pocket. Yep! Costly? Ya’ betcha’!!! Will maintain as best I can with it–as long as my savings will last…right, with the way banks are these days. Have to do what I have to do! Have SEARCHED for a plan to cover CGMs that I could afford=NONE FOUND. Have decided also, that once I use up my pump supplies I will go back to MDIs! Yes, indeed!
My 3 Brothers love & care about me so much that they are helping me with part of the expenses!!! GOD BLESS THEM ALL THREE!!!
My Son would LOVE to be able to do the same, but he lives with his Family in CA.–cost of living EXTREMELY high there! He is a wonderful, loving, caring Son. Am not a spring chicken. But merely 63+. Of our own Family, there’s only my Son & I left; and now we have my Grandson!!! Yay! Of course, my Daughter-in-law is wonderful too! GOD BLESS THEM ALL AS WELL!!!
Guess I need to stop. Thanks!

1 Like

You. Are. WRONG. !