Tuesday, August 21, 2007

CGM User Survey and Insurance Coverage

A while ago, some of us on the Yahoo! diabetescgms group were asked to participate in a survey about our continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS) and what we thought about them.

The results of that survey have been published in a thoughtful Industry Note(PDF) from Montgomery & Co.

This short and readable document includes the following sections:

Key Findings about CGM Users
How Patients Use CGM Systems
Comparison between Minimed and Dexcom
Why Patients Stop Using CGM systems
Some thoughts on Reimbursement

I think you'll find this a useful document and well worth the read.

On a personal note, I'm about to start the reimbursement process for my Dexcom 7 STS with my insurer this week. Can I tell you how much I'm not looking forward to this? Why is this so hard?

Given that my A1C went from 8.2% to 7.% while I was using my Dexcom STS without hardly any significant lows it should be clear this system is beneficial and reduces costs in the long term. I just hate having to argue this all with many levels of insurance bureaucracy. I'll let you know how that goes also.

Labels: CGM, Dexcom SEVEN, diabetes, insurance, survey

1 Comments:

At August 21, 2007 4:16 PM , Jenny said...: Bernard,

Someone explained to me that the problem is that when you lower your A1c, yes, eventually it saves some insurer a lot of money, but that's in the long term, when you probably won't even have this insurer any more. So because it doesn't result in a short term savings, it's just an expense to them, and a big one.

It looked to me like Dexcom was on the trail of something when they brought the price down on the older model, but that seems to have just been clearing the decks for the more expensive new model.

If it were priced like an iPhone, it would be more likely to sell to those of us who would pay our own way. But the $60 sensors and the cost to buy new are pretty forbidding.

Alternatively, maybe someone could start a business that would rent them out so that people could use them for a month or so and then return them, and pay a fractional use amount, instead of buying the whole thing.

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The Diabetes Technology Blog is focused on using technology to life better with diabetes. I review: blood glucose monitors; continuous glucose monitor; blood sugar meters; diabetes software and living with diabetes.

: Name: Bernard Farrell; Location: Massachusetts, United States

I was born in Ireland and now live in the US. I have had Type 1 diabetes for over 35 years. I struggle with my blood sugar, the same as most people with diabetes. I wear a Cozmo 1800 insulin pump and a Dexcom SEVEN CGM to track my blood glucose levels. I also take Symlin to help control my post-meal blood sugars. I'm blessed by God, and every day brings the possibility of a cure.

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