What is covered under the Diabetes Medicare supplies?

By Ron Mark - 2008-04-18 - Viewed 148 times. Find more articles like this in our Diabetes information category.

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Even though Diabetes is one of the main causes of death in the United States and several millions of Americans suffer from it, the Medicare covers only some of it and only if you have certain parts of the coverage.

There are several Diabetes Medicare supplies that one is entitled to if he or she has the disease, but some of the supplies cost are not covered at all and others only in certain percentages. Most of the supplies are covered under the Original Medicare Plan part B and some under the Part D. Apart from the blood testing supplies, Medicare covers eye exams, foot exam and even Medicare diabetic shoes if several conditions are fulfilled by the person who has Diabetes.

All the people who have Medicare Part B or Part D and have Diabetes have their blood glucose monitors, test strips, lancet devise and lancets are covered by the health insurance. However the amount of Diabetes Medicare supplies differ according to the type of Diabetes the receiver has. For example if the insured uses insulin he or she might get free of charge or at a reduced cost up to 100 test strips and lancets every month and a lancet device twice a year. If the insured does not use insulin he or she might get free of charge or at a reduced cost up to 100 test strips and lancets every 3 months. Getting any of the Medicare Diabetes supplies at a reduced cost or at no cost at all depends on the Medicare insurance one has as well as on detailed prescriptions and suppliers that work with Medicare.

A lot of people who suffer from Diabetes have problems with their feet. They have difficulty walking, or have calluses that might turn into foot ulcers. Some of them have deformed feet or partially or full amputated feet because of Diabetes complications. For them Medicare covers in part the cost of Medicare diabetic shoes. These shoes are therapeutic shoes that can be either depth-inlay shoes or custom-molded shoes. The insurance also covers the cost of two or three pairs of inserts or sometimes a shoe modification instead of the inserts. As in the case of the other diabetes supplies that Medicare helps pay, the ones who need these kinds of Diabetic shoes have to confirm they need the shoes because of complications provoked by the fact that they have Diabetes. The Medicare diabetic shoes have to be prescribed by a podiatrist or any other qualified doctor that deals with leg and feet problems. They also have to fit and provide the shoes to the insured.

Other supplies covered by the Medicare Plan B and Plan D include 2 Diabetes screenings per year for people with a high risk of developing the disease, 10 hours of self management training for people who already have the disease, special eye exams and foot exam and treatment, and medical nutrition therapy services. Some supplies and services like regular eye exams or orthopedic shoes or weight loss programs are not covered by Medicare Part B and D because they do not enter in the category of exams needed because of a complication of the Diabetes.

One should remember that for most of the Diabetes Medicare supplies covered by Medicare Part B and Part D, one needs a detailed prescription from his or her doctor.

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