I saw the following information on Integrated Diabetes Services Facebook page. I can't say I am happy to read this.
"INDUSTRY UPDATE: It looks as though some serious changes are on the horizon in the blood glucose meter industry. Medicare has announced that it is drastically cutting reimbursement for test strips starting this July. This means that many Medicare beneficiaries will either have to switch to generic meters/strips or have to cover some steep copays.
Because private health plans often follow Medicare's lead, this could have a ripple effect throughout the diabetes market. It might not be a bad idea to start stocking up on your favorite brand of strips, because they may be harder to come by in the not-too-distant future. Just some helpful advice!
I also saw that on FB and shared with others. I've been on Medicare a little bit longer and believe me it doesn't get any easier. Medicare or any insurance is supposed to help us medically but Medicare just keeps making it harder. They think of us as stamped out cookies or robots meaning we're all the same. Who ever set their policies doesn't have the fainist idea what Diabetes is about. It makes it deifficult for us to maage our Diabetes. I'm tired of others trying to manage my disease...makes you want to give up sigh.
I see wal mart is stepping in and filling the gap where insurance is leaving people hanging. It takes one company to step in and drive cost down. I sometimes don’t like how wal-mart operates to drive prices down but I give them credit on low cost diabetic supplies. The relion prime test strips are 9 dollars for 50. I have compared them against accu-check and other expensive test strips and the results were very accurate. I think other companies will have to bring cost down and get rid of those insane markups since Walmart now sees a way to bring testing cost down. Here is the link.
For Type 1’s and probably Type2’s on MDI, there is a little hope on the horizon. The ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes-2013 states that patients on MDI (this would include pumpers) need to test many times a day. A number is not stated, but times to test are described.
You can find the relevant part in Section V.C.a and it states:
“Patients on multiple-dose insulin (MDI) or insulin pump therapy should do SMBG at least prior to meals and snacks, occasionally postprandially, at bedtime, prior to exercise, when they suspect low blood glucose, after treating low blood glucose until they are normoglycemic, and prior to critical tasks such as driving.”
I don't think Medicare follows the ADA suggestions. If you look in the Medicare book that we receive each year, the section pertaining to Diabetes. I can't remember the exact times that Type 1s are suppose to test but it's something like 4 times and if a pumper I think it's 6 times. There is no consideration for people who have other health issues that impact our disease.
When I started with Medicare I was seeing my Endo every 6 months but Medicare requires me to see him every 3 months. I considered it an insult after living a lifetime with this disease I would think some considerations would be made but they don't look at each case individually...makes me think that I'm still a child and don't know how to manage my disease. If I couldn't manage it I wouldn't have made it to 54 years.
I agree with you PatienX. Someone has to lead the charge and I applaude Walmart for being the first. I bought their Prime meter and strips and am happy with it...it does test a little high but so do some other meters.
Intergrated Diabetes Services is an a practice outside of Philly run by Gary Scheiner who is a CDE...and a dynamite teacher. He is well known in the Diabetes community.
I'm always confused when I see these Medicare discussions. I'll be 65 this November. I have CalPers now (California state retirement insurance) which will integrate with MediCare. There is a website that explains exactly how the two go together. But as far as I understand, my coverage will become better not worse. Though CalPers and MediCare are unique, I thought most people also have a "Medicare supplement." But whenever people talk about Medicare they talk as if that is their only insurance. Does that mean they don't have a supplement? Or are the supplements significantly inferior to my CalPers (which is a regular Blue Cross Insurance with 80% coverage and meds from $10 to $100 (most lower) for e month med supplies.
Does anyone have a similar state insurance plan integrated with Medicare? Are you subject to these Medicare rules and limits too?
Betty J, you’re right that these Standards of Care are not a Medicare document. These are the Standards of Care that should govern all medical professionals who diagnose and care for patients with diabetes. This year is the first time that the American Diabetes Association has stated in the standards of care supporting the need for people on MDI and pumping to use more test strips.
These standards of care do not govern Medicare, but I do hope that they will help provide justification to make changes in some Medicare policies on how people with Type 1 are cared for.
I decided to do a bit of research on what my BG would be at 4 tests a day (vs. my usual 7). I did it for 14 days. Average 142. My usual average is 113 on 7 strips.
Makes a big difference, even in a person on low-carb with an A1c of 5.7.
Lotsofshots, how do you manage to not see your doc for Diabetes? what does your insurance say? It would be great if we all could do it and still manage. There are tons of reasons why we need extra strips like for instance as you mentioned, sickness and there are others who D doesn't conform to the rules. People with Gastroparesis and other autoimmune diseases and disorders that interfere with their Diabetes. To have a restrictions on how many strips would disrupt good management.
I agree Lathump. That is the biggest problem we have there is the uniformity of any type of agreement. The ADA has lagged behind for so many years that no one thinks of them as the standard of that what they say is truth. What Medicare and all insurances need is to ask the patients what the standard should be, we live with this disease but we know that won't happen.
Zoe I don't have a state medical plan but do have Medicare and a supplement. I guess I'm like most people and refer to it simply as Medicare. Medicare is what we put into the system for 30 years or more and the supplement (which mine is also Blue Cross) which is paid for seperately. Medicare comes out of your social security and as I said the supplement (which is 20%) is seperate. Two years before I went on Medicare I researched exactly what it was all about. Although there are still some things at times that aren't clear I have a more clearer understanding then I did years ago.
