From:
Roy Taylor
For twenty years the Medtronic / MiniMed Insulin Pumps have been a great help to me in achieving the best glucose control possible. My 20 years of insulin pump history began in 1994 with the MM 504 then the 508 and 715, 722, and now the 723 Revel. Twenty years and five pumps all in upgrades and now we have the Medtronic 530 G wth Enlite,the CGM system technology.
All of this is fantastic for those of us who are dibetic and experience sudden hypo and or hyper glucose events
However there is one exception, an urgent and inportant issue.
The issue is the 530 G insulin pump with Enlite and the fact that it is not covered by Medicare and neither is the CGM system for the 723 Revel insulin pump I have without the CGM system. There is a great need to have Preventive medical care for many diabetics on Medicare. Being on Medicare I have no access to the CGM system.
Preventive medical care should be the cornerstone policy for all health care insurance here in America.
Medicare has not made a decision to cover the continuous glucose montoring system in more than a year.
I have been active in asking congress to support legislation to ensure people over 65 have access to the life saving CGM system. The CGM system is expensive however, it’s annual cost is low when measured against the cost of one ER or hospital stay due to a serious low and or high blood glucose event.
It is with immense frustration that I have sent requests to Medicare asking to act and approve coverage for this vital technology. My endocrinologist has prescribed the CGM to warn me of these occurences. Even with the endocrinologist’s letter that states the CGM is a medically necessary, there has been no reply.
My frustration is with what appears to be the political process regarding Medicare and their inability to approve health insurance companies to cover this needed technology.
Now it seems to be up to congress to make this happen.
That is why it’s Important for everyone who cares about this issue to Advocate for CGM Coverage now.
Preventive medical care should be the cornerstone policy for all health care insurance here in America.