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Medtronic's Milestone Millionth CGM Sensor Sale Increases Pressure on Insurers to Cover the Units
Years from now, when we’re looking for significant milestones in the struggle to get insurers to cover the cost of continuous glucose monitors, keep this one in mind: Medtronic has just announced the sale of its one millionth sensor from its line of CGM products.
That figure, 1 million, is the result of 10 years of feedback, constant improvements and economies of scale since Medtronic introduced CGM in 1998. As more and more of the units are sold and put into daily use, pressure on health insurers increases to make continuous glucose monitoring units a routinely covered medical expense.
The recipient of the millionth sensor was Tim Parker of San Jose, Calif. Parker was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 11 years ago and has used CGM therapy for two years to help him manage his diabetes. (Diabetes Health will post an interview with Tim the week of April 14.)
Parker, who uses the Paradigm™ REAL-Time System, previously experienced unexplained blood glucose excursions that worried him. “I would go to bed with my blood glucose levels at 110 and wake up at 220. What could be happening to my body while I was asleep?” He began researching options and learned about CGM on the Internet.
The system relays glucose readings every five minutes from a sensor to the insulin pump, which displays up to 288 readings a day – nearly 100 times more information than three daily fingersticks. Glucose measurements obtained by the sensor are relayed every five minutes and displayed in three-hour and 24-hour trend graphs, as well as arrows to indicate how quickly glucose is moving up or down.
To celebrate Parker’s receipt of the one millionth glucose sensor, he will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Medtronic’s Diabetes facility in Northridge, Calif., where he will tour the facility, meet the senior management and engineering teams, and see the glucose sensor manufacturing process.
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I have been a Type I diabetic since age 15 and will soon be 58. I have gained a few lbs. over the past few years and my upper body is so much larger than the lower part of my body that I feel like I look deformed. I know I could stand to lose at least 10-15 lbs. but am I the only one that this bothers? I have to buy larger tops than bottoms, and I also cannot buy sets of anything because my top is so much larger. What causes this and is there anything at all I can do to try to distribute my weight more evenly? Thanks for any information you can provide!
I recently also have received a glucose sensor that works with my Medtronic Paradigm Insulin pump. Blue Cross has finally joined the 21st century. They had rejected my request for the sensor in 2007. When I tried again in 2008 they were more cooperative.
I find it bizarre that insurers would rather pay for frequent hospitalizations rather than pay for CGM! What is wrong with their thinking??
Even if a payor begins to pay for the Real Time system does not mean they will continue doing so. Both Oxford Health and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care no longer cover Real Time despite having done so for almost a year. At least Harvard Pilgrim will continue to provide sensors for one year, Oxford stopped all at once with no warning.
I am pulling for insurance coverage for the DexCom CGMS- especially for continuing purchases of the replaceable sensors! I am of Medicare age, currently using an HMO which covers what Medicare will cover. I am encouraged by this article!
I use the Real Time System with my insulin pump. It was covered with United Healthcare. I had to move to a different area, and I am still waiting to hear if Blue Cross with cover my sensors. I have the transmitter, but I do not have the sensors. The sensors make the whole thing work. The sensors alone are $350 for 10 sensors. That is only a months worth. If you times $350 by 12 that equals $4200 for that whole year. I hope that Blue Cross will cover the sensors. Night time is very scary for me. I have had lows at night that the sensor caught. An Alarm goes off if you do not respond. I like having the sensor, but I am again still waiting because of insurance. The pump and sensor work well together. It is worth the investment.
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