MiniMed Rep & the Insurance Company

As I had mentioned in a previous post, my insurance company may stop paying for my CGMS. And for everyone's CGMS. This has been a concern of mine for the past few weeks. I ordered another supply of sensors, and so far they are paying for them. I ordered a 3 month supply at the time, hoping that I could stretch them out for a while.

Mostly because I cannot afford to pay for them out of pocket. The cost of the sensors, out of pocket, are more than my rent. (Yes, I have cheap rent. I live in a very, very small town.) I refuse to put myself in anymore debt than I currently have (school loans, car, etc.) and having to pay for sensors would seriously increase my debt.

Lately, I have just being doing a lot of praying about it and taking a day or 2 off between sensors (to try to stretch out their use). The off days are not good days for me.

I took my sensor out on Monday morning. I have not replaced it yet. The past two days have not been easy ones for me. I had a low yesterday that I didn't catch until I checked my blood sugar at lunch time. I had a high last night that I didn't know until I took my customary, pre-sleep, blood sugar result. I plan on putting a new sensor in first thing tomorrow morning.

Today, I received a call from the MiniMed rep that I dealt with when I was getting the CGMS. He was calling to tell me that my insurance company was talking about cutting out all CGMS payments to all patients. They had been saying they were not hearing from patients on how the CGMS has improved their lives and helped them, so they didn't see the reason to keep on paying. In return, the insurance company had offered and e-mail address for those who are doctors, CDE's, and patients to seen their stories to until the end of the week.

I think that this is my chance to tell them about my life. About how every morning for two years my best friend would call me to be sure I was up. About the morning I accidentally overslept, my co-workers called me in a panic to be sure I was okay. About the multiple nighttime lows that the CGMS has caught for me. And how I no longer have to wake myself at midnight and 3 am to check my blood sugar. How my A1c dropped from 6.7 to 6.3 in two months. (I expect it to be lower at my next appointment).

There are so many things that I could write in this letter. But mostly, I just want to say thanks to the MiniMed rep who is going to give me the chance to be heard by these people at the insurance company who don't live with my diabetes Every Day, Every Hour, Every Minute.

I can't quote science (I've said that before), but I can speak as to the amazing changes in my life since CGMS was introduced.

They may not listen, but they won't be able to say that I didn't speak. I want them to hear my voice. Because I know that there are others, just like me, for whom this technology may truly be a lifesaver.