Background: In January 2017 it was announced that Medicare would begin covering the Dexcom G5 as a “therapeutic CGM” for patients with diabetes who met certain conditions. After months of delays where CMS, Dexcom, and Liberty Medical struggled to establish reliable procedures, we are now at a point where some Medicare beneficiaries are receiving Dexcom G5 bundles with payment by Medicare. I say “some” because Dexcom is totally overwhelmed by the demand estimated to be at least 20,000 patients.
*******
If you are expecting this blogpost to be a “How To” manual, you will be sorely disappointed.
I am going to share my experience along with the stories of Medicare beneficiaries who have had an easy time getting their Dexcom Medicare bundle and those who have had or are having a horrible experience. I will provide some information that may be helpful, but I do not think that there is a magic formula for success. As I write this post, I do not know how to categorize my journey. I am 6 weeks into the process. I’ve made progress but I’m mostly mired in a black hole of no information with unanswered voicemails and emails.
Are there characteristics that separate the successful people from the chumps? Not from what I can tell although it is an absolute necessity that your doctor fill out forms correctly. Other than that, I think that placing a Dexcom G5 order under Medicare is a crapshoot. Some are lucky. Others are not.
I don’t have statistics on how many people are having an easy time getting their CGM versus those struggling mightily. People having a bad time are more likely to be online complaining and looking for help and I have seen a lot of negative stories.
Before I go too far I want to emphasize that I am a huge fan of Dexcom. After a few rocky years using Medtronic SofSensors, I switched to the Dexcom 7+ in 2011. The good results with that device were magnified with the release of the G4 in 2012 and my life was changed. The proof of success is I have not needed my husband to get me a glass of juice since 2012. I get lows but my Dexcom warns me in time to treat them myself.
The Good Stories
These are the people we want to be.
Joe: “I contacted Dexcom about the Medicare G5 and was contacted by a representative who took care of everything and I received my Dex a week later! Sooo Easy!”
Ruta: “My husband was using the Dexcom G5 CGM before going into Medicare. We directly ordered from Dexcom. The transition was flawless.”
Carol: “I have to say at this point that I was feeling almost guilty about having my G5 kit and this wonderful new sensor. Other seniors were complaining on the Facebook group about all kinds of issues with ordering their G5.” (It took Carol 2-3 weeks from start to finish.)
Lloyd: “I don’t remember exactly, but I think it was less than 2 weeks from phone call to arrival!”
Nolan: “I got the phone call and email on 08/22/17. I filled out the AOB, etc. and sent them back, Dexcom sent data requests to my Endo. I was kept informed via phone calls and e-mails about processing steps. I got the official Dexcom e-mail with “Your Dexcom order has shipped” on 09/12/17. 8/22/17 to 9/12/17 is an excellent time frame in my view.”
The Grouchy Stories
Natalie: “It took a long time — months — to get all the i’s and t’s dotted and crossed. If the doc misses checking off one box or not using the right word in their clinical report, your paperwork gets routed to GKW (God Knows Where) and it could be weeks before the doc is notified and Medicare can again begin to process it.”
Deb: “Medicare’s rules make it far more complicated and time-consuming that it needs to be.”
Camille: “Latest excuse: Medicare requires insurance company to purchase GCM through a Provider. Ins.Co. cannot purchase it from Dexcom directly. My insurance (MHS Advantage) is particularly inept but my understanding is that they don’t have a contract with a provider so they’ll are working on that. (Bear in mind that they’ve had 11 months to do that.) Meanwhile, in the past year, I’ve had approximately 30 Lows (below 50). I live alone, I live in fear.”
Ginny: “Medicare also asks for information that isn’t even on the forms. It took months!!”
Kathy: “Back to square one. no supplies from Dexcom. a week of lame excuses.”
Another Kathy: “I have been with Dexcom for 10 + years and they were always super good about returning messages. However since Medicare approved their G5 system, they are so far behind in responding that it has come to: if you hear from them at all you are lucky. I, too, am waiting for the email that was promised over a month ago and it never comes.”
Chris: “Wow, just wow! I was willing to give Dexcom the benefit of the doubt, but not so much anymore. They have continuously dropped the ball. I’m usually fairly patient, but I’m beginning to feel like a crabby old lady.”
Helpful Advice
Carol: “Not sure I have advice, except to hang in there.”
Patti: “Stay on top of it. Ask for a contact person so you’re always talking to the same person. Call or email them every few days if it doesn’t seem like the process is moving.”
Sandy: “Just know that my polite policy with customer service always gets more service than sass…”
Kathy: “So, just in case my information might help someone else, I will post what the tech support person told me today. He said that my chart notes should include: 1) the date of last visit, 2) type 1 or type 2 diabetes, 3) patient tests blood glucose 4 or more times per day, 4) patient uses insulin pump or multiple daily injections, 5) patient’s diabetes requires frequent adjustments of insulin.”
Bob: “Managed care (Advantage) plans have a great deal of latitude in how they reimburse a claim. They are required by CMS to cover anything that would be covered by original Medicare. But they are not required to reimburse claims in the same manner as original Medicare.”
Other Information
Refills: Once you get in the system, supply refills are mostly a seamless process. IMO the Medicare requirement for monthly shipment of CGM supplies versus the quarterly shipment of pump supplies puts an undue burden on Dexcom and is slowing their ability to supply more Medicare beneficiaries.
My Personal Rant
It is unrealistic to think that Dexcom can immediately process the orders of everyone on Medicare who qualifies for a therapeutic Dexcom G5 system. At the same time Dexcom needs to communicate better with those of us who contact them. After my initial call it took several weeks for the assigned sales specialist to call me. After a first conversation with him and signing the AOB, I received an email: “We have a new update regarding your pending Dexcom order. We have recently requested new or additional documentation from your Physician’s office. We will notify you again once we have the approval.” That was great and I thought I was finally in the information pipeline.
That was 3 weeks ago and since then nothing. My account shows no open orders and my sales rep neither returns phone calls nor answers emails. My endocrinologist submitted my paperwork early in December. Calling my rep last week I was put on hold and hung up after an hour and ten minutes of piano music. I then called customer service who indicated that my endo’s paperwork has been received and they will follow through with my rep. I think that it is a realistic ask of Dexcom that once we initiate a Medicare order that we be able to see the status of the order online or at least receive regular updates.
My history is that of a “privileged” patient with Type 1 diabetes. I have had good insurance. My endocrinologist submits needed documents on time. Every pump and CGM that I have ordered has arrived within a week. Since 2011 I have had consistently good service from Dexcom. Even now everyone I talk to is friendly and helpful.
But now I am on Medicare and the process is slow. The biggest stress is not knowing what is going on. I need COMMUNICATION. I know that my order will eventually be filled and I trust that it will be before my stash of out-of-warranty supplies is exhausted. I alternate between being patient and as Chris said above, being “a crabby old lady.”
I don’t like to be crabby.
*******
To Order a Medicare Dexcom G5 in an Ideal World
Call Dexcom at 888-736-9967. Select Option #1 to place an order and then Option #1 again for Medicare. Another option is to submit your preliminary information online.
A Medicare representative will take your Medicare and other insurance information and you will be assigned to a Medicare Sales Specialist.
You will be contacted and required to sign a form: Medicare Assignment Of Benefits, Authorization For Release of Information, and Acknowledgement of Rights and Responsibilities. This is a typical insurance form with the added provision that you promise to only use the Dexcom receiver and not use any smart device with your G5 system.
Your doctor will be sent the medical forms required by Medicare. He/she will complete them correctly and return them quickly.
You will receive a notice that your Dexcom G5 system is ready for shipment and a package will be on your front porch in a couple of days.
Voila!
*******
Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences.. I couldn’t include every quote, but your stories are important. We are making history—sometimes painfully—as we are the first to receive routine Medicare coverage for our continuous glucose monitors.
*******
Links
Test Guess and Go 