From the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services website, published today (Monday, June 11, 2018):
Based on input from patients and other stakeholders, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing important changes in its written policies regarding how Medicare covers continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). These changes are consistent with the Agency’s approach of putting patients first and incentivizing innovation and use of e-technology.CGMs are items of durable medical equipment (DME) that provide critical information on blood glucose levels to help patients with diabetes manage their disease. In January 2017, CMS issued a ruling providing for Medicare coverage of therapeutic CGMs. The ruling was followed by a policy article issued by the Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors on March 23, 2017 to provide coverage guidance for these devices.
CMS heard from numerous stakeholders who shared their concerns that Medicare’s CGM coverage policy limited their use of CGMs in conjunction with their smartphones, preventing them from sharing data with family members, physicians, and caregivers.After a thorough review of the law and our regulations, CMS is announcing that Medicare’s published coverage policy for CGMs will be modified to support the use of CGMs in conjunction with a smartphone, including the important data sharing function they provide for patients and their families.The Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors will issue a revised policy article in the near future, at which time the published change will be effective.
This is a win for the entire diabetes community, and it couldn't have been done without the thousands of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals who contacted Congress and CMS to share their concerns about this safety issue.
We'll keep you updated on the revised policy article, but in the meantime, we encourage you to send thanks to the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CGM) for listening to the community![bctt tweet="Thank you, @CMSGov for listening to the #diabetes community on the usage of smart devices with Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) to help keep Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes safe! #CGMSavesLives" username="DiabetesPAC"]
