A CGMS (Continuous Glucose Monitoring System) is a device that tests your blood glucose (BG) levels throughout the day and night, and can help you & your health care professionals decide on the best course of action for your treatment of diabetes. A tiny sensor is inserted into your abdomen, like an insulin pump catheter, and every 10 seconds it sends information on your glucose levels to a pager-sized monitor attached to your waistband.
For 3 days, you regularly check your BG and keep track of meals, exercise, and any medication or insulin. Then return to your health care provider with the monitor, and with the information gathered, you will be able to see patterns and trends in you BG levels, and create a better treatment plan for your diabetes, which will mean a lowered risk of diabetes-related complications and fewer medical costs in the future.
This is not something I need right now, as my diabetes is not severe and kept under control quite well with medication, but there are many diabetics who really could use this, and maybe someday I will too. However, despite the need, many insurance companies are denying it as "not medically necessary" - not seeing the long term benefits, only the short term costs.
If you have been denied, have diabetes, or know someone who does, please help spread the word, and hopefully the insurance companies will open their eyes and let the people with diabetes and their health care providers make the decisions about what's medically necessary and what's not.
For more information, visit JDRF's Steps For Obtaining Case By Case Coverage For Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMS) or CGMS Central.
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