I absolutey agree that patients deserve appropriate insurance consideration, but they rarely receive it. Insurance companies see patients in terms of black and white, with little consequence given to the “gray area.”
Yes this is a VERY old discussion! Funny to see a zombie thread come back with such force!
But to answer your question, yes, I’ve long since fired the endo that told me I was Type 2, and went to a diabetes specialist, who took one look at my lab results and blood sugar graphs and said “I’m pretty sure you’re Type 1.” We did a GAD 65 and another antibody test that both came back positive. That was a year ago, I’m pumping now, last A1c was 5.1, everything is about as good as it could be!
I’m so glad you finally got the correct diagnosis. I went through a similar journey when I was diagnosed. I don’t know why these doctors have such a hard time with the fact that adults do get Type 1!
What pump are you using. I started off with a Medtronic, but moved over to Omnipod a few months ago. I LOVE it!
Congrats on your excellent A1c. I see my endo tomorrow, and I’m hoping for a good number (although not as good as yours - that’s very unlikely).
I’m using the Omnipod, and have since June 2009. I love it!
For whatever reasons (maybe I’m still honeymooning), I haven’t had problems keeping my A1c in the low 5s. I cross my fingers that it’ll stay that way for a LONG time.
Going on insulin right away is a good way to preserve whatever beta cells you have left.
Mine are pretty much dead 
I’d have to disagree with the statement that it doesn’t matter what type you are as this can significantly impact your insurance coverage - especially for insulin pumps and CGMS. I do agree with the general idea though - treat it with whatever works!
Have you tried to get a pump covered? In the case of my insurance, here are the criteria:
- children 12 years of age or younger with type 1 diabetes; or
- adults and adolescents older than 12 years of age with diabetes who are beta cell autoantibody positive or have a documented fasting serum C-peptide level that is less than or equal to 110% of the lower limit of normal of the laboratory’s measurement method*.
If you are a markedly insulin resistant type 2, any normal level of insulin will be quite insufficient for you. Despite that, insurance will declare you “DENIED” Sorry.
I’m in TX, so they have to cover a pump if my doc writes the scrip. But a CGMS is not considered “medically necessary” for type 2 (this is based on the fact that most CGMS studies declared the focus as on T1, rather than insulin dependency), so it’s not covered.
I like that 2nd clause of your insurance! I’m not especially insulin resistant (<50u daily - I:C of 1:20 to 1:12 and ISF of 50) and plan to go on the OmniPod as soon as I can arrange it with my endo. This would be out of the question for my mom, as she hits 200+ units a day.
LOL, you have Aetna, too?
I have unfortunately discovered the nightmare know as the “Clinical Policy Bulletin” where the insurance company gets to decide on your medical treatment.
A pump is still an argument that is in my future, but at least I know the cr*p that I am faced with.
The entire reason behind me finally getting a correct diagnosis was because Aetna wouldn’t cover a CGM for Type 2s. I never thought the diagnosis was all that important until then. Since I had already been using a pump for years (and knew I was a T1), I had to fight for the appropriate antibody tests. Once they came back positive, my doctor just changed the diagnosis code and I was approved.
It’s pretty sad that nothing else changed except that little diagnosis code. But, as a Type 2, I wouldn’t have been covered.
Actually, Aetna only extended coverage for prolonged use of CGMS in 11/08. I hate the penny pinching. In my case, despite Aetna accepts GAD and autoantibody tests as covered for differentiating between t1 and t2, but I was never able to convince my previous doctor to order the test. Her argument was that because I was a type 2, the appropriate treatment was oral medications and hence it would not make a difference. I have a new doctor. It is sad you had to go through that, but at least you were not denied insulin.