Company changing insurance....

[Spbeyond]

Hi, I dont know what to do so Im asking for help.

My company is changing insurance providers in november. So I am going to have to pay all my deductible in november then again in January for the new year. If that isn't bad enought I dont think they are going to cover enough of my Omnipod for it to be affordable to me. I just bought the omnipod like 6 months ago and would hate to see it go but if they dont help I cant do it. So I would probably be paying for another pump copay at the same time.
Assuming the new insurance compnay will buy a new pump so soon after my old insurance bought me this one.

Meanwhile I work in a "college Job" and am pretty much broke.

I think I am screwed. What do I do?

[JediSkipdogg]

Are you sure they are doing double deductibles? My insurance at work is changing as well to a high deductible plan w/no copays on November 1st and I plan on using my max in the first month. Then I'm money free the rest of the year for medical stuff.

It seems odd your company would change plans a few months early in a contract. Many times plans don't go on calendar years for how deductibles are figured in. They go on plan dates.

[GretchO]

We also had a plan change, and didn't have the double deductible thing...I'd double check that.

Do make sure you also check that the current in-network providers for pump supplies will still be in-network once the insurer has changed. Minimed was in-network for my old insurer but NOT for the new one and we were not informed of this at the get go. I'd never had an insurer change like that before (mid job) so maybe that's common.

[valc3]

My insurance changed last November and the new plan waived my deductible since I had already met it with the plan we were leaving.(does that make any sense?:confused: ) I would talk with your HR department.

[Spbeyond]

What about the pump thing. My new insurance is definatly not in network with omnipod. What do I do there?

[JediSkipdogg]

What about the pump thing. My new insurance is definatly not in network with omnipod. What do I do there?

You pay whatever the out-of-network pay is. For my plan here the max out of pocket deducticle doubles and they only pay 50% once it's met for out-of-network. Also the out-of-network items don't count towards the in-network deductible, they are seperate.

[Spbeyond]

I mean if they wont cover my omnipod supplies I will have to change. Will they cover a new pump for me? I will not be able to afford the pump supplies at the "out of network" rate.

[notme]

They should cover a new pump for you if it is a new insurance company. Have your doctor write you a new letter of medical necessity for another pump so they can get the process going before you run out of supplies.

[Spbeyond]

Are there any assistance programs for single guys making less than 20k a year that help with insulin pumps? I think im screwed. Will probably have to go to needles again until im atleast out of school. (3.5 years)

[notme]

Check out ipump.org , Charles Ray lll Diabetes Association, Inc. Also call Medtronic MiniMed and Animas. From what I understand they both will work with people by giving them a discounted rate on pumps and supplies.

Good luck. This is not fair at all.