Medicare

Why the Tandem t:slim X2 Insulin Pump with Dexcom CGM Is an Excellent Choice for Medicare Members

Many more choices for insulin pumps and CGM are becoming available to Medicare members as diabetes technologies continue to progress. And even more exciting, many companies are starting to work together more closely to integrate their separate insulin pump and CGM systems to create even greater advancements. In today's post, we want to point out the benefits of combining the Tandem t:slim X2 insulin pump with Dexcom continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for better diabetes management.

The t:slim X2 pump can be upgraded when new technologies and features become available.

For example, Medicare members who qualify can currently access the Dexcom G5 CGM system, and we anticipate the more advanced Dexcom G6 system will be available to Medicare members on April 1st. If a patient is currently using the t:slim pump with a G5 system and upgrades to using the G6 system, all the patient will need to do is update his or her t:slim X2 pump with the latest software OR if they already have the t:slim pump with Basal IQ, they can integrate their Dexcom G6 after viewing a brief online training video. This ability to upgrade the insulin pump's software is unique to Tandem systems.

Medicare members are eligible for a new pump every five years, and in that time span there can be many advancements in diabetes technologies that can potentially leave a user behind on newer, beneficial improvements.

As we mentioned, with the Tandem t:slim pump, a Medicare member can easily update the pump to keep it current with the latest technology. This will soon prove a great benefit as we anticipate Tandem to release their "Control iQ" feature within the year. This will allow the pump, when paired with the Dexcom G6 system, to autonomously deliver more insulin when blood glucose levels are high.

The Tandem t:slim is an easy-to-read, color touchscreen pump - and it is super easy to use.

Want to try it out for yourself? Tandem offers a free simulator app for Medicare members to install on iPhone or Android devices right now. This simulator app provides users with the opportunity to test the experience of using the pump along with the Dexcom G6 system before deciding to make the purchase.

Learn more about the Dexcom G6 CGM system here.

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Dexcom G6 Will Soon Be Available to Ship to Medicare Members

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We wrote about Dexcom G6 becoming available to Medicare members here on the Healthy Living Blog last fall. Over the past several months we've had many Medicare members reaching out to us, asking about availability of the G6 system. This is a quick update that Healthy Living Medical Supply expects to start shipping Dexcom G6 systems to Medicare members on or around on April 1st of 2019.

This is an exciting development because it brings an advanced CGM system that is fingerstick-free to Medicare members. The Dexcom G6 system automatically takes a glucose reading every five minutes and sends the reading to a receiver or smartphone device such as an iPhone or Android (click here for a complete listing of compatible Apple and android devices). The system also has predictive alarms to let patients know if and when they are trending toward a low blood sugar state.

The Dexcom G6 system will be available to qualifying Medicare members who are on an insulin pump or taking insulin three times or more per day via injection AND who are testing four times or more per day.

Interested in being updated when Healthy Living begins shipping the Dexcom G6 system to Medicare members? Fill out the brief form below and we'll be in touch!

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Healthy Living Now Providing the Abbott Freestyle Libre to Medicare Members

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February 18, 2019 -- Today, Healthy Living Medical Supply, a mail-order diabetes supply company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, announced that they now provide the Abbott Freestyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system to eligible Medicare members across the United States. This fingerstick-free CGM has a small glucose sensor worn under the skin, connected to a circular patch that is slightly larger than a quarter. With a 14-day wear time, it is worn on the upper arm and allows people with diabetes to view their blood glucose levels with the swipe of a hand-held reader for more effective disease management and better treatment decisions.

To receive coverage for therapeutic CGM, with options including the Abbott Freestyle Libre or the Dexcom G5, a Medicare beneficiary must have type 1 diabetes or be receiving intensive insulin therapy for type 2 diabetes, and those eligible must document that their condition requires frequent insulin dosing adjustments, based on checking blood glucose levels at least four times a day. To learn more about eligibility requirements, visit myhlms.com/medicarecgm.


Healthy Living has been providing diabetes supplies to Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance members for over a decade with a focus on world-class customer care and a working model of continuous improvement and innovation. The company is the only locally owned diabetes supplier in Michigan.

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Prepared & Ready to Provide Testing Supplies to Medicare Members in 2019

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The New Year is right around the corner, and we think this is the perfect time to let you know that when January 1, 2019 rolls around, we will be able to provide test strips and related diabetes supplies to Medicare members. You may already be getting your insulin pump supplies or CGM supplies from us, or maybe you are just meeting Healthy Living. Whatever your background, we hope that you will consider us for your diabetes testing supply needs!

Healthy Living currently provides insulin pumps, pump supplies, and continuous glucose monitors (CGM) and supplies to Medicare members throughout the United States. If customers are already enrolled with us for pump or CGM supplies, it is easy for us to add testing supplies to existing 90-day orders...and new patients can easily enroll using our enrollment form.

Healthy Living Medical Supply specializes in diabetes, with a compassionate, experienced, and understanding customer care team. We are here and ready to help at 866.779.8512 (phone) or 248.577.9903 (text).

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Dexcom G6 CGM Receives CMS Approval & Will Be Available to Medicare Beneficiaries in Early 2019

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More great news has been announced about CGM! The Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) will be covered for Medicare beneficiaries, starting in early 2019. CGMs are DME items that provide critical information on blood glucose levels to help patients with diabetes better manage their disease. Coverage for therapeutic CGM includes certain beneficiaries who have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and intensively manage their insulin.

The Dexcom G6 CGM shines because of the following advantages:

  1. Zero fingersticks

  2. Acetaminophen blocking to maintain accuracy while taking Tylenol

  3. Smartphone app that allows data to be shared with family members, providers, and other members of a patient's care team

  4. Super easy application device

  5. Very small and discreet sensor

  6. Integration with the tSlim:X2 insulin pump from Tandem Diabetes, which is also covered by Medicare

Healthy Living will be able to provide the G6 to Medicare members – stay tuned for updates on this exciting news! Read the press release directly from Dexcom.

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Getting Started with CGM & Medicare Is Simple

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We recently highlighted the awesome news that Medicare now covers CGM for eligible beneficiaries. But how to qualify, and how to get started? Here, we will outline the requirements and the process for obtaining a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) as a Medicare member. Really, the simplest strategy is to start by calling us and speaking with Adam or George on our Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team. They will walk you through all of the information that follows!

The Requirements:

  • Testing blood sugar at least four times a day

  • Injecting insulin three or more times per day

  • An appointment with your doctor in the last six months

The Process:

  1. An interested Medicare member (you) calls us about CGM.

  2. We handle the communication with the doctor’s office to obtain the necessary documentation, including blood sugar logs, labs, and chart notes.

  3. We ask you to contact your doctor’s office to follow up, which often speeds up their response time.

  4. Healthy Living emails or mails you an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) form to sign and return (the format is your preference).

  5. After approval, your Dexcom G5 CGM and supplies will be shipped as a bundle, including transmitter, sensor, receiver, test strips, lancets, meter (if needed), and control solution.

  6. We will set you up for refills every 90 days, which you can approve via text, phone, or email.

To learn more, please call us at 866.779.8512 (Option 2) and speak with George or Adam. Our team is knowledgeable and well-prepared to help you obtain a CGM to better manage diabetes!

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Medicare Now Covers CGM: Available through Healthy Living

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Medicare now offers reimbursement for the Dexcom G5 Mobile System for members who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and intensively manage their blood sugar levels with insulin.

Medicare now offers reimbursement for the Dexcom G5 Mobile System for members who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and intensively manage their blood sugar levels with insulin.

Medicare members now have access to a life-changing therapy for managing diabetes -- CGM. At Healthy Living, we are so excited that we can now offer Dexcom continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to people living with diabetes on Medicare. CGM provides many benefits to users, including fewer daily fingerpricks and better insights into blood sugar trends. Dexcom CGM systems also work in tandem with insulin pumps and are an excellent addition to any diabetes treatment plan for closer monitoring, improved metrics, and more precise dosing.

Healthy Living can provide CGM systems, associated diabetes supplies, insulin pumps, and pump supplies to Medicare members. It is worthwhile to find out more about these advanced technologies. By calling us and talking with our Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team, you can learn more about how CGM and insulin pumps work and how they can benefit your diabetes management. We will also run a no-cost insurance verification check for you to learn more about your coverage.

Find out more about continuous glucose monitoring systems here. Get started by connecting with Healthy Living via phone at 866.779.8512 (Option 2) or text at 248.577.9903. Also chat with us on our website, myhlms.com.

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HLMS Now In-Network with Priority Health Medicare for CGM

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The Healthy Living Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team

The Healthy Living Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has become a mightily useful tool for helping people with diabetes understand their trends, manage their blood sugar levels more accurately, and make better-informed treatment decisions overall. Our Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team loves to help patients get up and running with continuous glucose monitoring, and Healthy Living Medical Supply is now in-network with Priority Health Medicare for CGM.

Are you ready to learn more about CGM? Here are a few past blog posts to check out:

You can reach the Healthy Living team at 866.779.8512 (Option 2) for more information about CGM, and if you’re ready, begin the process of obtaining a continuous glucose monitoring system for managing your diabetes. When you call, we’ll answer your questions and run a no-cost insurance benefits check to find out about your coverage.

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Healthy Living Now Provides CGM to Medicare Patients

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Healthy Living has long provided insulin pumps and insulin pump supplies to Medicare members as a durable medical equipment (DME) benefit, and today we're pleased to announce that we're  accepting referrals for Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) therapy for Medicare members as well! Currently, the Dexcom G5 continuous glucose monitoring system has been approved for Medicare members.

A continuous glucose monitor is a small, wearable device system that tracks your glucose throughout the day and night, notifying you of highs and lows so you can take action when needed. The Dexcom G5 CGM system is made up of three key components: a sensor that measures your glucose levels, a transmitter to wirelessly send your glucose data to your smart device or receiver, and a display device where you can see when your glucose is trending high, low, or just right. The display device can be either a compatible smart device with the Dexcom G5 Mobile app or the Dexcom G5 Mobile Receiver.

What are the benefits of CGM?

  • With CGM, you’ll reduce your daily fingersticks dramatically, continuing them only for calibration of the CGM.
  • The CGM system monitors blood glucose levels in the interstitial tissue every five minutes, offering much more information than four to eight finger sticks per day.
  • CGM is very useful when you are struggling with nighttime lows, providing alarms and alerts.
  • Dexcom sensors and transmitters are water-resistant. They are relatively small and discreet to wear.
  • With Dexcom G5 Mobile, dynamic glucose data can be accessed and shared safely and conveniently to your smart phone device.

Call us today at 866.779.8512 (Option 2) or fill out our expedited enrollment form online to learn more about your Medicare insurance coverage, and start the process for receiving CGM supplies from Healthy Living. We’re here to help! 

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Animas Pump Line Shuts Down with Transition Plan in Place

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On October 5, Animas Corporation announced that it is discontinuing manufacturing and sale of Animas Vibe® and One Touch Ping® insulin pumps. Medtronic will assist existing Animas pump patients, caregivers, and providers with the transition, including ensuring access to proper supplies. We know this news may be unsettling to our Animas customers, however, from what we understand, you will still be able to access pump supplies and support for quite some time. Learn more about the transition by visiting www.medtronicdiabetes.com/Animas. For the ‘Nuts & Bolts’ of the change, read Mike Hoskins’ article on Diabetes Mine.

You are welcome to call our Insulin Pump Therapy Team to learn more as well. Healthy Living works with Medtronic, Omnipod, and Tandem – all manufacturers of excellent insulin pumps – and our Team is well-versed in all of their product lines. We are in network with all major insurances in Michigan, including Health Alliance Plan of Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Priority Health, state Medicaid, and Medicare for insulin pumps and pump supplies. You can reach us at 866.779.8512, Option 2 (phone) or 248.577.9903 (text).

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Insulin Pumps & Medicare: Getting Rolling with Healthy Living

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Family enjoying a beautiful day! (Thinkstockphotos.com)

Family enjoying a beautiful day! (Thinkstockphotos.com)

One of our specialties at Healthy Living is helping patients get up and running with insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors while working closely with their physicians and insurance providers. We are a Medicare insulin pump supplier and our Insulin Pump Therapy Team frequently serves Medicare members from Michigan and around the country.

When Medicare beneficiaries contact our Insulin Pump Therapy Team, George and Autumn are ready to answer questions and get the ball rolling. The first thing that they do is begin insurance verification and help patients understand the necessary steps for obtaining Medicare’s approval for a new pump. There are certain lab results and documentation that need to be collected in order to confirm patients qualify for the insulin pump per Medicare guidelines.

After approval, when Healthy Living supplies Medicare insulin pumps, they begin as a rental, and the patient may be responsible for a monthly copay depending on supplemental insurance coverage. After 13 months, the pump belongs to the user and it remains under warranty from the manufacturer for four years. Healthy Living continues to provide insulin pump supplies, with the patient approving the refill order monthly via text, phone call, or email.

Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for Medicare members to obtain insulin pumps to improve their personal diabetes management and simplify their lives. Reach us with any questions at 866.779.8512 (phone) or 248.577.9903 (text).

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Healthy Living’s Scoop on Insulin Pumps & Medicare

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Qualifying for an Insulin Pump with Medicare

If you’re thinking about an insulin pump, start by talking to your doctor to see if you’re a candidate. Healthy Living can walk you through the next steps, including what you’ll need to qualify per Medicare guidelines. People with Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes both can get pumps if they qualify using this criteria:

  • Obtaining qualifying lab results – C-Peptide & fasting glucose, tested on the same day at the same time
  • Currently testing blood glucose 4 times/day
  • Using Multiple Daily Injections
  • Having gone through a comprehensive diabetes education program

Note: If your labs don’t qualify initially, we suggest that you discuss your options with your doctor.

How Medicare Bills for Pumps  

Insulin pumps bill as a rental through Medicare for 13 months. The pump is considered your property after 13 months have passed. Medicare will cover 80% of the insulin pump for qualifying members. If you have secondary insurance, we will verify that insurance to find out if they will cover the remaining 20% of the cost.

The Process for Starting on an Insulin Pump with Medicare & Healthy Living

The Healthy Living Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team will work closely with you to guide you through completing your qualifying criteria as well as verifying your insurance to give you estimated out-of-pocket costs for the pump.

Once these pieces are in place and you are ready to order an insulin pump, we will ask you to fill out two Medicare forms: The Assignment of Benefits form and the Rental Agreement. These forms give us permission to bill Medicare on your behalf.

Contact our Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team to find out which pumps are available. Once you are on an insulin pump, if your insurance changes or you discontinue using the pump for any reason, please notify us.

For Medicare Insulin Pump Owners

The 13-month rental period is now over and you now own your insulin pump. Your pump has a 4-year warranty offered by the manufacturer. Under Medicare guidelines, patients are eligible for a new pump every 5 years, but exceptions can be made if the 4-year warranty has expired and your pump is malfunctioning.

Contact the Healthy Living Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team to find out when you are eligible for a new pump, for help getting started with an insulin pump, or to learn more about pumps or CGM. You can reach them at (866)779-8512 (Option 2).

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Medicare to Cover Therapeutic CGM

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Dexcom G5 CGM Mobile

Dexcom G5 CGM Mobile

Awesome news! Medicare has recently announced a new benefit category for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and is moving to cover CGM at some point in the future. To be included in this category, the continuous glucose monitoring system must be defined as a “therapeutic” CGM, meaning that patients can make treatment decisions using the device. The only CGM that currently qualifies is Dexcom’s G5 CGM System which received FDA approval for insulin dosing last month.

What is CGM?

Continuous glucose monitoring is a small wearable device system that tracks a patient’s glucose throughout the day and night. A CGM delivers fast and reliable blood glucose readings every five minutes or so to a receiver, a phone, or an insulin pump - logging hundreds of readings a day. Continuous glucose monitoring can help diabetes patients make the best possible decisions since they are able to see their trend data provided by the CGM instead of basing choices only on a number from a blood glucose meter reading. A CGM system consists of three parts: a small under-the-skin sensor that measures glucose levels, a transmitter that attaches to the sensor and transmits data, and a receiver that displays real-time glucose information.

Contact us with questions.

This announcement about upcoming coverage for CGM is great for all Medicare members and Healthy Living customers, many of whom will benefit from this important technology for helping control diabetes. Healthy Living’s Pump Therapy and Continuous Glucose Monitoring team is working with our partners to learn more and will be prepared to answer your questions as more details emerge.

We make managing your diabetes supplies easy.

  • We work with many insurance plan partners.
  • You can approve your refills via text or phone.
  • Our company’s focus is excellence in customer service.
  • In addition to providing supplies, we also have a mail-order pharmacy.
  • Diabetes is our specialty, and we’re prepared to help!

WE LOVE TO HELP.

  • Sign up for the Healthy Living Blog at myhlms.com/subscribe.
  • Call us @ (866)779-8512 or text us @ (248)577-9903.
  • Reach us through online chat at myhlms.com.
  • Check out our online store at myhlms.com/shop for accessories and over-the-counter medications.
  • Visit myhlms.com/providers to electronically complete and sign prescriptions for patients.