There is the Freestyle Libre meter, which there is a special sensor that is changed every 10-14 days.
In my experience the patient has to meet certain criteria for the insurance company to cover the cost. One of those criteria is the person must need to check their blood sugar several times a day and brittle enough where the blood sugar is hard to control & the person usually must self inject insulin several times a day (sliding scale insulin coverage). You also need a doctors order to process it through insurance. Your mother, if I remember correctly, is self pay and I do not know the cost of this device.
If you chose the Freestyle, you still need to do a regular fingerstick daily and compare it to the meter’s value to assess the accuracy of the Freestyle. A person applies a “sensor” on their skin and waves the Freestyle over the sensor for the value.
Sensors are the expensive item with this meter. Usually a person is provided with 3 sensors a month as now, I believe, the sensor can last for 14 days without being changed.
The other meter is a CGM ( continuous glucose meter) (Dexcom is the name of the meter I have in mind,for example). This meter also is usually ordered by an endocrinologist who completes the paperwork necessary for insurance companies to pay. This meter requires more training (the nurse rep from the company usually provides training) as this meter tends to alarm a lot when blood sugar is too low or too high. Again it’s the sensors that are expensive and they are replaced every 10-14 days.
Hope this helps. I am a RN case mgr and have had Medicare approve a Freestyle for a brittle diabetic that drove a county transport bus who didn’t have the supplies nor time to check his BS on the road. But again, he was on sliding scale coverage & needed to monitor several times a day.
Insurance companies may push back on payment if the person does not meet the criteria ( ie well controlled diabetes requiring insulin). I am unsure if the device is covered if someone does not take insulin (controlled my oral meds or diet alone).
If you go to a Pharmacy they can show you the different monitors. The Free Style Libre was the one my husband’s endocrinologist wanted him to get. DH didn’t want to wear anything. It will attach to the back of the forearm. I think it has to be changed every couple of weeks. You can pass your phone over it for a reading. You only stick when you change it. I think his insurance was going to cover it. I can see the attraction for some people but he decided to be more compliant with the glucometer and increased the number of times to check during the day.
Supposedly there are things that can do this. One is worn constantly and connects to a cell phone for recording. I have heard but not experienced, that there are other things as well. I would suggest that you check with the physician that is monitoring the diabetes for suggestions. It may depend on what type of diabetes Mom has as to what is available. I hope this can steer you in the right direction.
In my experience the patient has to meet certain criteria for the insurance company to cover the cost. One of those criteria is the person must need to check their blood sugar several times a day and brittle enough where the blood sugar is hard to control & the person usually must self inject insulin several times a day (sliding scale insulin coverage). You also need a doctors order to process it through insurance. Your mother, if I remember correctly, is self pay and I do not know the cost of this device.
If you chose the Freestyle, you still need to do a regular fingerstick daily and compare it to the meter’s value to assess the accuracy of the Freestyle. A person applies a “sensor” on their skin and waves the Freestyle over the sensor for the value.
Sensors are the expensive item with this meter. Usually a person is provided with 3 sensors a month as now, I believe, the sensor can last for 14 days without being changed.
The other meter is a CGM ( continuous glucose meter) (Dexcom is the name of the meter I have in mind,for example).
This meter also is usually ordered by an endocrinologist who completes the paperwork necessary for insurance companies to pay. This meter requires more training (the nurse rep from the company usually provides training) as this meter tends to alarm a lot when blood sugar is too low or too high. Again it’s the sensors that are expensive and they are replaced every 10-14 days.
Hope this helps. I am a RN case mgr and have had Medicare approve a Freestyle for a brittle diabetic that drove a county transport bus who didn’t have the supplies nor time to check his BS on the road. But again, he was on sliding scale coverage & needed to monitor several times a day.
Insurance companies may push back on payment if the person does not meet the criteria ( ie well controlled diabetes requiring insulin). I am unsure if the device is covered if someone does not take insulin (controlled my oral meds or diet alone).
Good luck!
It will attach to the back of the forearm. I think it has to be changed every couple of weeks. You can pass your phone over it for a reading.
You only stick when you change it. I think his insurance was going to cover it. I can see the attraction for some people but he decided to be more compliant with the glucometer and increased the number of times to check during the day.
I have heard but not experienced, that there are other things as well.
I would suggest that you check with the physician that is monitoring the diabetes for suggestions.
It may depend on what type of diabetes Mom has as to what is available.
I hope this can steer you in the right direction.