Page 50 - Appendices for Patti's Evaluation

7/21/2020 Medicare and Type 1 Diabetes - JDRF
Patti -- See below
As you make decisions about which route to take, you should carefully review
information in the Medicare & You Handbook, notably deadlines for enrolling and

particulars around coordinating other types of coverage such as those available

to retirees from a former employer or from the military or U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs. You should also pay special attention to rules around income
changes that may affect how much you will pay for Medicare part B.

The authoritative place for evaluating available options for Medicare coverage is

the Medicare Plan Finder.

3. How Medicare bene iciaries with T1D can best manage

diabetes health care costs

It is impossible to provide a single answer to the question “What is the best

course for people with T1D who are covered under Medicare?” The response
depends on a number of factors, including whether you have complications

associated with T1D or other health conditions that need treatment, your inancial
situation, whether you prefer to have higher ixed monthly premiums in return for

lower cost sharing, and how much you care about having broad access to
physicians and hospitals.

Some key questions to ask yourself are:

Am I willing to change insulin delivery method for the sake of cost savings?

What programs could I be eligible for that help with Medicare costs?

Are my diabetes devices covered by Medicare and if so, are they covered
under Part B or Part D? What are the costs associated with coverage under
the different Parts?

What is clear is that coverage and costs for insulin vary markedly for people who
use multiple daily injections versus those who use tubed pumps. The reason for

this is that the very same vial of insulin is covered under Part D if a person uses it
for injection or with a disposable patch pump (e.g, the Omnipod), but covered

under Part B if it is used in a tubed pump. This is because drugs delivered by a
long lasting device are considered to be part of the “durable medical equipment”

bene it and the cost sharing systems under Part B and Part D differ signi icantly.

https://www.jdrf.org/t1d-resources/living-with-t1d/insurance/medicare/#section4 3/9