Type 2 diabetes

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The Future of Dexcom and Type 2 Diabetes

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Making CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) a true standard of care would require gaining insurance coverage for people with Type 2 diabetes. At the recent JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, Diabetes Mine (a wonderful, influential diabetes blog) discussed how Dexcom is planning to handle the next big wave of CGM with their CEO, Kevin Sayer.

The interview covered topics including creating access to CGM for more people and the smaller, cheaper CGM devices that will be next to the market. I was especially interested in the direction that Dexcom will take to include more people living with diabetes, specifically those with Type 2. A recent pilot study by Intermountain Healthcare followed 50 people with T2 diabetes using traditional fingerstick and another 50 who used CGM over the course of a year. The annual cost savings with CGM computed at $5,000 a year per patient, based on hospitalizations, lab tests, drug costs, doctor visits, and follow up calls. This is a massive cost reduction!

Read the entire illuminating article here to learn more about the future of CGM.

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What We’re Reading: The Health Alliance Plan of Michigan’s Balanced Living Blog

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The Health Alliance Plan of Michigan's Balanced Living is filled with tips and suggestions on increasing your wellness and leading a more active and healthy lifestyle

The Health Alliance Plan of Michigan's Balanced Living is filled with tips and suggestions on increasing your wellness and leading a more active and healthy lifestyle

One of our regular features on the Healthy Living Medical Supply Blog is our “What We’re Reading” segment where we shine the spotlight on resources that we find particularly relevant to our employees and customers. One such resource is Health Alliance Plan of Michigan’s “Balanced Living Blog,” which is routinely updated with excellent ideas and suggestions for maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. Subscribe to blog updates by visiting the site and clicking the email subscribe link. 

Below you’ll find links to four articles that we found particularly interesting, all of which relate to diabetes, which is our specialty.

Walking it Back: Reversing Prediabetes

Facing Diabetes On Her Own Terms: How One Woman Took Control of Her Life

Diabetes Doesn’t Define Me: Overcoming Type 1 at 21

How Former U-M Football Star Marc Ramirez Tackled Diabetes

Healthy Living Medical Supply is in network with Health Alliance Plan of Michigan for diabetes testing supplies, insulin pumps, insulin pump supplies, continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGM) – if you are a Health Alliance Plan of Michigan member and are looking for diabetes related supplies delivered to your doorstep with great customer care, give us a call at 866.779.8512 or send us a text message at 248.577.9903 to start the easy enrollment process.

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Are You Ready for an Insulin Pump?

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Insulin Pump (Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development)

Insulin Pump (Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development)

I put my head together with the Insulin Pump & CGM Therapy Team, George and Autumn, to help you understand the signs that it might be a good time to start using an insulin pump, the benefits of insulin pump therapy, and how to get started.

4 Signals That Adding a Pump to Your Diabetes Treatment Plan May Be Helpful:

  1. You’re tired of multiple daily injections
  2. Your blood glucose levels are fluctuating
  3. You’re experiencing insulin resistance due to frequent injections
  4. You desire better control of your diabetes

5 Benefits of Using an Insulin Pump:

  1. Fewer insulin injections
  2. More predictable and precise insulin delivery
  3. Fewer high and low spikes in blood sugar
  4. Only one type of insulin necessary
  5. Overall improvement in quality of life and a more flexible lifetstyle

Getting Started:

You can contact our Insulin Pump Therapy Team to find out more at 866.779.8512, Option 2 (phone) and 248.577.9903 (text). They will help you navigate the process of obtaining an insulin pump and answer your questions. For example, depending on your insurance type, authorization may be required, and some documentation may be needed, including a prescription, clinical notes from recent office visits, blood glucose logs, lab work, and proof of diabetes education. (Depending on your insurance plan, the process can take several weeks to complete.) We will also recommend that you have a conversation with your physician to discuss insulin pump therapy and which pump is best for you. 

On our Insulin Pump Therapy webpage, you can learn more about the three major pumps that we carry from OmniPod, Tandem, and Medtronic, as well as insurance coverage and life with an insulin pump.

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New Research: Lack of Sleep Tied to Higher Risk of Diabetes in Kids

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A recent UK study suggests that children who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than kids who typically sleep longer. Each additional hour of sleep children get at night is associated with lower body weight, more lean muscle mass, and less accumulation of sugars in the blood. Since obesity and high blood sugars are contributing factors to developing type 2 diabetes, you can see the possible correlation.

This study, based on 4,525 children ages 9 or 10, found that kids who slept less were more likely to be extremely overweight or obese and have more body fat. Children who got less sleep on average per night were also more likely to have a risk factor called insulin resistance, where their bodies don’t respond normally to insulin. An additional factor, insufficient sleep also affects the level of hormones that control appetite, making kids hungrier and increasing cravings for sweet and salty snacks.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children ages 6 to 12 should get 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night. “Getting enough sleep helps keep our appetite in check and is protective against insulin resistance,” said James Gangwisch, a psychiatry researcher at Columbia University who wasn’t involved in the study.

Read the entire Reuters article.

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The Top 12 Reasons to Choose Home Delivery

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Whether you are ordering diabetes testing supplies, an insulin pump, insulin pump supplies, CGM, insulin, or other prescriptions, Healthy Living Medical Supply offers reliable, no-cost delivery, direct to your door.

Healthy Living’s Top 12 Reasons to
Prefer Home Delivery

  1. Convenience – You can save time by bypassing busy stores and lengthy lines, stay at home if you aren’t very mobile, and avoid long drives if you live far from town.
  2. Reorder reminders – Supplies are shipped on a regular schedule, with auto-refills on prescriptions and the opportunity to approve diabetes supply refills via text or phone.
  3. Concierge service – Healthy Living has a small team that provides consistent, trustworthy results, and we take care of the paperwork for you, working with your doctor and insurance provider.
  4. Quick ship time – Receive your order in 1-3 business days, with most orders arriving within 1-2 business days if they are placed Monday thru Thursday.
  5. Careful packaging – Supplies and prescriptions are packaged for accuracy, quality, and privacy, and insulin is cold-packed for shipping.
  6. Dependable service – We know our customers count on having their supplies to manage their diabetes – Healthy Living’s dependable home delivery service ensures you always have what you need.
  7. Diabetes specialty – Healthy Living has focused on providing diabetes supplies for over a decade, and our customer care team has the knowledge to give excellent service.
  8. Private consultations – Discuss and receive your supplies and prescriptions in private, instead of in a store, surrounded by other customers.
  9. Personalized review – Our team can help you determine insurance options and copays and offers ongoing individual support.
  10. Multiple product lines – Since Healthy Living offers a wide selection of products, you can find the best supply combination for managing your condition.
  11. Insurance verification – Our insurance verification team helps you maximize benefits and minimize expenses.
  12. Flexibility – If you are traveling for an extended time or wintering in a warmer climate, we can temporarily ship your order to a different address.

Remember you can also combine shipments for diabetes supplies, prescriptions, and orders from Healthy Living’s online store. Try Healthy Living Medical Supply & Pharmacy for the ease of home delivery. We help you spend more time where you want to be – healthy at home.

WE LOVE TO HELP.

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