Anyone here happen to have Humana as their provider?

[cstanleytech]

I am kind of stuck with my AC1 running high for the past 2+ years and alot of it is due to the fact they only want to pay for me to check 2 times a day when my doctor wants to move me to doing it 6 or 8 times a day so I can know what my BG is running before and after a meal so what hoops do i need to jump through to get this changed?
Is it a meter issue? Currently I use the Accu Chek Compact Plus so would changing to a different brand please them? If so what brand of meter?
After all I would like to avoid going into DKA again which I did in November after I got the flu but lacked enough extra strips to monitor my BG better.

[TexasProgresive]

1. I buy my own meter and strips.

The ones I am using currently are TrueMETRIXGO. I have 2; one normal sized and the other a mini the fits on a strip vial. I get my strips from Amazon for around $00.13 per strip. It's a lot less trouble then dealing with insurance and now medicare. The strips for your meter from Amazon run about $00.65 ea.

[thbobby]

3. Great Info! Thank you

My insurance provides 100 strips per month, which is less than I need.

Buying them at my pharmacy is about 65.00 for 100. Your info will let me afford to test my blood sugar more. My doctor suggested up to 8 times per day.

I am very grateful for the information TexasProgressive. BTW I live in North Texas.

[TexasProgresive]

5. Stay warm, north Texan.

It's gonna get frigid, here as well down south.

[thbobby]

6. Only in 20's tonight

But next two nights about 7. Pretty frigid!

I used to live in Austin and then San Marcos. Beautiful hill country! Here just flat and sandy, semi-arid.

Stay warm also.

[TexasProgresive]

8. A bit north of Bryan/College Station.

Flat and clay soils.

[chillfactor]

2. I have had Humana..

since I retired. They merged with Midicare and I have very low co-pay on meds...$1.17 per prescription. I never pay for a doctor's visit.

[cstanleytech]

9. Yes, thats not my issue sadly though rather the problem is trying to figure out

how to get them to pay for enough strips for me for the month and if the way to do is to switch meters I could probably budget one in but I cannot budget the amount they want for the strips out of pocket every month even if they were as low as someone above quoted.

[TygrBright]

4. Gosh, they let you have a meter?

We've been trying for two weeks to get one for my esposo, and Humana keeps doing this thing where they say "oh, yes, we're sending you one," and then a few days later we get a letter saying "we've been trying to reach you and we can't send your meter until we have more information."

This has happened three times, now.

Each time, Himself has patiently gotten on the phone with them to say "what information is it you need, and how can I help you get it" and he never gets a meaningful response... eventually they say "well, it looks like we have all the information, so we'll go ahead and send it" and then a few days later, another of the same letters shows up.

I can NOT figure out what the issue is with them. First of all, given how essential BG monitoring is for every diabetic's management of the disease, I would think they'd be buying meters by the boxcar load and sending them out to any and every subscriber with a diabetes diagnosis, gratis and with easy-peasy instructions, supplies, links to "how-to" videos, and offers of help in learning to use them. Daily BG monitoring is the single most effective tool for managing the disease and (NOT INCIDENTALLY, FROM AN INSURER'S POV) keeping costs down!

Second, I can't for the life of me figure out what "information" they might need over and above a) the subscriber's diagnosis of diabetes; and b) the doctor's recommendation/prescription for the meter and supplies. WTF? They have those things. They have ALL the information that went with becoming a subscriber, which seems to be sufficient for them to deal with every other kind of claim submitted for his health. Why can't they shake loose of a meter and supplies?

bewilderedly,
Bright

[cstanleytech]

7. Well its about 7 to 8 years old so they might have changed their rules since then.

What I am looking for is a way to get them to cover the strips as I live on a very fixed income so eventually paying for the strips is what would put me in the red so if I have to I can switch to a different brand if they will just cover the strips.
As for your problem try contacting the manufacturer and explain the problem as they might send you one for free as they do not really make their money off the meters themselves but rather they make it off the strips.
I know if I had the money though that I would look at getting the FreeStyle Libre that just came out on the market as its completely bloodless.

[TygrBright]

10. Interesting about the FreeStyle Libre, thanks!

We will check it out.

I know it's the supplies they make their money off. We were told that most manufacturers have a program to provide coupons and discounts to people without insurance, but since we have Humana he's not eligible.

We can afford moderate co-pays and the doc only wants him to check 2x a day, so hopefully we can work something out... if we can get a meter!

appreciatively,
Bright

[cstanleytech]

11. Yeah I'm in the same boat right now with two times a day and it's simply not enough to

keep my blood sugar levels under control not to mention it provides no extra strips for days when I might be sick and need to check it more often to prevent another episode of having to go into the hospital and be treated for DKA.