I headed to the post office the other day with two envelopes to mail.
One was headed to Toronto, one to the East Coast.
Both have to do with diabetes.
The first one is my application for the Disability Tax Credit. It contains a cover letter, a five page summary of what I do every day to keep myself alive and healthy and a 9+ page application signed by my diabetes doctor.
I should hear back in 6 to 8 weeks re whether or not I qualify.
The second envelope contains a request to my insurance company to cover the cost of my continuous glucose monitor (CGM) sensors. There is a two-page letter from me explaining how they work and the importance of having them, an application form and an estimate from my pharmacist of the cost.
I called the insurance company last week to see if they covered the sensors and was told that no, they do not. But I could request a review of that decision and should hear back within a week once they receive the information.
Why am I doing this now?
Because of a conversation I had with a new friend from Israel and a new friend from Norway.
Both use the CGM. All the time. Neither couldn't believe that I didn't.
"I have tried it before" I said "they're just so expensive".
"That is not an excuse" was the reply.
Fair enough.
I understand the value of continuous glucose monitoring. It helps identify patterns to better control your blood sugar but, more importantly, it helps keep us safe. Alarms sound when blood sugar drops below a certain number. In the middle of a run or in the middle of the night.
CGMs have saved people's lives - woken them up from a bad low that they didn't feel.
I know. I get it. I agree.
So I'm starting the fight to have them covered by my insurance. So I too can take better care of myself.
All because of my two new international friends.
Thanks boys!
let me know how all this goes. I have been putting off the DTC for over a year now. I also notice a huge improvement in my BG control when I have access to a CGM. I often use my ADP cheques to buy sensors and just hope to hell I don't get audited. I will push pump supplies as long as possible and will double fill and double use infusion sets in order to stock up money for sensors.
ReplyDeleteThey make a difference.
but at $50/sensor when they barely last a week, it's not at all affordable. That's $2600/year. That's more than pump supplies for the entire year alone.
Let me know, I will follow suit. :)
Hi, Céline ... Bonne chance 'vec le crédit! (and Scully, you should get on that thing tout de suite!)
ReplyDeleteI'm a wee bit less enthusiastic about CGM these days. Maybe I just had a string of bad luck with sensors (entirely possible), but unreliability + repeated failures to get coverage from Blue Cross + feeling like a droid with all that techie stuff inserted/taped to my body finally wore me down, and I've stopped using them. (I even ordered the new Enlite sensor from Germany and just had a different set of glitches.) Hence the decision to get a diabetes alert puppy. :)
This might be a sacrilegious thing to write on a blog titled "Running on Carbs," but I've actually had my most significant success, BG-wise, radically cutting back on carbs. I've done a ton of reading and experimenting, and although the process of becoming more "fat-adapted" hasn't been completely smooth, it's now relatively rare that I see a number higher than 10 or lower than 4, and my exercise stamina and strength are gradually getting back to where they were when I was running on carbs (this after about 2 months). It's quite a major dietary shift, but if you're interested, I'd be happy to send you some book titles & web links.
Congrats on the Global Heroes run!!