I've been wearing around the CGMS sensor for around 30 hours now. When it was first pulled out of the package I was very concerned when I saw the length of the needle used to insert it -- about an inch long. The tech started palpating my belly, working around to my right side before finding an appropriate site. The tech mentioned to the gal she was training "I chose this spot because it jiggles when I put it. In the front it doesn't; it's firm." To me: "Someones been working out." Yeah, right! She (the tech) put the sensor in a plastic machine, cocked it, put it on my side and with a "Three, two, one." hit the trigger. It was in. With no real pain.
As I'm not actually getting a pump -- my diabetes counsellor saw this as an opportunity to see what my blood sugar does over a couple of days -- I can't see the readings from the unit which, by the way, are taken every five (5!) minutes. In the mean time, I have to keep a fairly detailed log of finger prick readings, insulin amounts and times and food consumed. I go back in Monday afternoon to have the unit removed. My counsellor will be letting me know what she saw not long thereafter.
One of the questions I had was the out of pocket expense. The pump sounds like it is fully covered by Medicare Part B and my Medigap insurance. The CGMS is not covered in any way. The up-front cost is $990 with recurring costs of $350 per month for the sensors. I'm infuriated. The pump control unit (it's a wireless unit, the pump is affixed to the body with tape) is also the CGMS reader and display station. If I were to get a pump, why should the CGMS up-front costs be so high?
I've found that there is a little discomfort with the sensor. It's really hard to explain, but it feels like a small poke well under the skin. I noticed it when I rolled over on to that side in bed last night, and a couple times yesterday when the unit got pushed on by a chair or I stretched in certain directions. I'd dearly love to get the unit for the information it provides but the expense and the location of insertion, difficult for me to reach, pretty much rule one out.
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It's funny how the insurance companies won't pay for some things that can help stablise someone's health. Even a partial payment on something like this CGMS meter would be a big help.
The insurance on me is through Bobbi's CalPers plan. When Bobbi went onto Medcare my part of the CalPers was not suppose to change but it was that month that they refused to pay for one of my meds and I had to go to my doctor and figure out which replacement med that the insurance would pay for. It didn't make any sense to us, the doctor and me, for the replacement med unisured cost was the same as the original med. I hate to say it but we might need to have someone watch over the insurance companies, just not a government agency, but then who?
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