Diabetes Helpcare

Today is the fourth day of Diabetes Blog week.  Each day we have a prompt and are called to post a response.  You can read all responses at my friend Karen’s site Bitter~Sweet.  Also, please remember RABlog week will occur in September.  I hope you join the fun then as well.

Prompt

The Healthcare Experience – Thursday 5/19 – Most people who live with a chronic illness end up with a lot of experience when it comes to dealing with healthcare. How would you improve or change your healthcare experience? What would you like to see happening during medical visits with your healthcare team? How about when dealing with your health insurance companies? What’s your Healthcare Wish List or Biggest Frustration? Today is the day to share it all!

Medicare

I have pretty good health care coverage.  I wish I could say it is perfect, but I do ok all in all.  With diabetes, I am fairly well taken care of.  Except coverage of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) for Medicare participants, I have few concerns.  Like most in the U.S. being content with my healthcare, coverage can change in a second.  A political, social or corporate whim can doom coverage for the sake of cost savings.

To get this coverage, I have asked many people (young and old) to join the fight.  I have asked them to do it in a tweet, through sharing blogs and in person at diabetes-related events.  Surprisingly almost everyone I have asked has decided to join the fight, making positive and important contributions.

#DiabetesAccessMatters

Unlike CGM for Medicare patients, I have almost nothing in the United Health Care (UHC) decision only to provide coverage for Medtronic pumps.  So far (that is the key) my insurance has not selected an exclusive pump provider, and if they do choose Medtronic, I can honestly say I will be able to live with that decision though that is not my preference for my next pump.  I have already said I want to select the Roche’ pump for my next one, and that selection will be at least two years away. In the meantime, I am thrilled with my Medtronic pump and especially the customer service I receive.

So why then am I fighting alongside my brothers and sister in the #DiabetesAccessMatters movement?  Surely I have other things to do?  The reason is this: I know we are strong when we stand as a community, and we are weak when we stand alone.  If I were the only one fighting for Medicare coverage for CGM, I would be a minnow in the sea of life. But when we organize we at least get noticed.  This UHC/Medtronic deal does not affect me, but it affects my brothers and sisters who I have asked to support the issue that matters most to me.  I owe them my voice because the lent me theirs.

I also owe support for the right to choose a technology because it is the right thing to do for our community.  I recognize that choice is the only weapon we have to ensure progress in technological development for people with diabetes.  I am alive today because of the skill of my doctors, support of my family and technology advances.  I have seen how far we have come.  We got here because corporations and entrepreneurs are driving development to improve our lives.  So to continue the best life, we need strong tech development.  The only way to have these technology advances is through insurance access and choice, and that is why I am all in on the #DiabetesAccessMatters movement.  It is much bigger than the UHC and Medtronic agreement.  It goes to the very heart of how we will be able to live our lives for the foreseeable future.

Competition works

I have one last reason for joining this effort.  Last week I received a call from Medtronic about my supply order.  I welcome these calls, I think they have the best customer service department in the business, but the representative asked why I no longer use the Medtronic sensor.  It was a friendly question.  I told her it made my life miserable because of the various alarms and what I perceive its inaccuracies.  She said she thought Medtronic was close to making some major improvements, and she asked me to watch the developments and reconsider at some point.  I promised her I would do both.  Like I said I love the way Medtronic delivers customer service but I had to wonder; except for the competition from Dexcom would the Medtronic representative have gone out of her way to have a pleasant side conversation and do a soft sell for her company’s product?  I would hope so, but I am doubtful.  If Medtronic were the only game in town, what overarching reason would they have for improving the Enlite sensor?  Or for that matter, what reason would Dexcom have for improving their currently lousy telephone support?

This all helped me understand firsthand how important competition is in the pump market.  I am not upset with Medtronic for entering this deal, nor am I upset with UHC. Those two companies are acting as all companies do: preserving profits, protecting market share and preserving the brand. But given that companies act like this (it is the downside of free markets), we as consumers must also take steps to be players at the table.  #DiabetesAccessMatters is our seat at the table, we all need to help keep that seat warm because trust me it may not be your issue today but it will surely be your issue tomorrow.

So please join with me in supporting our collective voice.  Please support the   #DiabetesAccessMatters movement.  Our voice is strong, with your help we can make it even stronger.  After all, we can all use a little getting over our own Diabetes Helpcare Hurdles.

-30-

Rick

Take away for May 19, 2016

• We are stronger as a community than individuals
• Your issue may not be my issue
• Please support CGM for Medicare patients
• Please get behind #DiabetesAccessMatters