Quote:
Originally Posted by condensr  Which costs more, one visit to the ER for a severe hypo, or a CGMS system? I think the ER visit is more. |
I have to disagree with that. And here is my reason. Say you are 25 years old and you are going to live till you are 75. You want a CGMS and we will put that price at $1000. Using the standard 4 year pump replacement warranty terms, that means you will use 13 CGMS units in your lifetime. That's $13000 without considering inflation.
Now, let's look at the sesnors. Insurance companies have to follow FDA guidelines and prices for what is ut there now. So a sensor is $35 for 3 days of wear. In 50 years, one will be allive 18250 days roughly therefore using 6084 sensors. That means those sensors will cost $212,917.
Total price based on today's values for a CGMS is $225,917 ($4518.34 per year). The average price for an ER visit was $202 in 2002 (I couldn't find today values but I searched briefly) and for an ER admit was $8,049.
Unless you visit the ER numerous times a year (which would put you at brittle diabetes) the CGMS is not cost effective. So that is why they are very careful in who they prescribe this too. Someone like me that hasn't been in the ER in 8 years would be a downfall to the insurance company. Now if my record showed 3 admits in the past year, then they may think twice and just give it to me.
That's my 2 cents.
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●Blue Ash, Ohio Police Dispatcher
●Type 1 diabetic for 25 years (11 months old)
●Animas pumper since December of 2002
~IR 1000 (Dec. 2002 - Jan. 2005)
~IR 1200 (Jan. 2005 - Jan. 2009)
~Cozmo 1800 (Jan. 2009 - ?)
●Dexcom Seven+ since August 1, 2009
Diabetes is an Art, NOT a Science. You must master the control by skills and not by knowledge alone.
