Understanding Medicare

Medicare is a federally funded program that covers certain health care expenses for people over age 65 and some others. Medicare benefits are divided into:
Part A Hospitalization Insurance: no monthly premiums are paid for this. Part B Supplemental Medical Insurance: an optional program, most Medicare recipients participate in it and pay a monthly premium. Medicare Part B Is the Benefit Under Which Diabetes Supplies Are Covered. Under the Federal law that went into effect in 1998, Medicare now covers part of the cost of diabetes supplies for all people with diabetes who have Part B of Medicare coverage. Your health care provider must prescribe blood glucose monitoring and document the frequency of testing.

What You Need to Know About Your Medicare Coverage

• Deductibles and co-pays apply. After you pay your annual Medicare Part B deductible, Medicare will reimburse 80 percent of your supplies. The amount of reimbursement will still depend upon what price Medicare has established the supplies should cost.
• Generally, Medicare limits how many test strips and lancets are covered each month.
  • People who take insulin: 100 test strips and lancets are covered every month
  • People who don't take insulin: 100 test strips and lancets are covered every 3 months
  • NOTE: If your health care provider gives a medical reason why you need to test more often, Medicare may pay for more supplies

For more information on Medicare, call our reimbursement specialists at (866) 246-COVERAGE or (866) 246-2683. You can also find further details at www.medicare.gov.

 

DOC08831-Rev-B 09/07