I have been pumping for just over three years now and will be looking at getting a new pump within the next year. I may try for one soon as I’m on a different benefits plan than I was when I originally got the pump, and also the fact that Cozmo is gone so my pump will not be getting any more upgrades (I still have the 1700 one, so not even the latest).
Anyway, I’m wondering how a new pump works as far as coverage goes. When I first got my Cozmo my endocrinologist filled out a form and checked off all sorts of things—that I had a high A1c of above 7 for most of my diabetes life (since age 9), that I had high morning readings from the dawn phenomenon, that I had wide swings in blood sugars, etc. Now that I’m on the pump some of these things are gone. I no longer usually wake up high every morning because I can incrase the basal rate to cover the dawn phenomenon. My A1c for the past few years has often been in the high 6s, though I’ve still had several around 7 (my next one may be, getting it next week). I still have swings in my blood sugar fon any given day but compared to before they are not bad, and I’m sure I could achieve tighter control if I was able to put 100% effort into everything (weighing all my food, exercising every day no excuses, logging and reviewing BGs every day no excuses, etc.) but I don’t always have time for those things being both a full-time grad student and working part-time.
I’m just wondering whether these things might be held against me in getting a new pump. Can those of you who have had more than one pump from different companies explain how the second (or third or forth) one works? Is it based on what my control is like now with a pump or what it would be like if I were to stop using a pump?
It depends on your insurance company, they all have different parameters in their Medical Policy for pumps. If you check on your carriers website, you should be able to find their Medical Policies, it’s usually under the Provider section.