home machine approved now what?

[JodyC]

I am getting an AVR in a few weeks and while I was on the phone with my insurance I went ahead and asked about home monitoring. I can get the machine covered but the girl at the insurance company couldn't find anything under 'test strips' to see if that would also be covered. What else would they be called? I don't know which machine to get or if one is better than the other. My insurance rep said I had to take a class before I would be approved for one and I would only be covered to test at home once per week. Where do you take the class? I was hoping to get the machine before July when my detuctable starts over again since my surgery will MORE than take me to my out of pocket max. How soon after surgery can you test at home? Thanks in advance for all the help.

 

[Ross]

First off, you have to have a prescription for the machine and test strips. If you can't get that, your done already.

 

[catwoman]

What insurance do you have? What "class" is the insurance rep referring to?

What she may be referring to is the training on using the machine -- either in person (which I believe a Roche rep said in 2003) or by phone. I just received my 2nd INR machine and will have my session via phone on April 29 at night. Went through this in December 2003 when I received my 1st machine. The nurse walks you through doing a test via phone, but in order to do this you must run a test first, plus watch a DVD on using the machine, read booklet(s) sent with the machine, etc.

As far as test strips, many of us here have paid for them out of pocket. It depends on the E code used as to whether insurance companies will pay for the testing supplies. Whether your insurance company will cover the strips will depend on how your employer (if coverage is employer-related) and the insurer set up the policy. My former insurance carrier was United Health Care, and I was told that my employer & insurance company only covered testing supplies for DIABETICS. My guess is that they just didn't realize there would be a new class of home testers -- people on warfarin.

Hope this helps some.

 

[AgilityDog]

I also have UnitedHealthCare. I pay $50 copay every 4 tests, whether that is weekly or more often if I'm out of range. I call in my results to an 800 # (Raytel Cardiac Service) which then faxes the # to my cardio. Nurse then calls me with "stay the same" or "adjust as follows."
Usually I short cut that by calling the nurse and leaving her a message as to my INR and what I'm gonna do, based on Al's logarithm chart.

The service then sends the bill to UHC, then sends me an invoice for my share after insurance. Usually they run about 2 months behind in collecting. The strips and lancets and machine all are covered under this arrangement.

When I need more strips, I call the service, which then sends more strips and lancets. All I have to buy are alcohol wipes and gauze pads - -I go to a medical supply store and get a large package of "surgical sponges" made of gauze, which are not individually wrapped, but who cares. It costs about $3 for 200. The individually wrapped ones cost $3 for 20.
If you don't have this insurance arrangement and buy the machine yourself, then you can buy the strips on Amazon.com or direct from Raytel (probably still need an Rx) for about $250 for 48, and Lancets you can buy cheaply at the pharmacy without Rx.

 

[Karlynn]

Never heard of a "class". I'm wondering if she's referring to the phone training you go through. With QAS you have to do the phone training before you are okayed to order more strips. And I had to have my doctor sign off that I demonstrated how to use it. (I had to do that even when I got my second machine.)

As far as machines - go with the INRatio or the Coagucheck XS. Both are small and much easier to use than the ProTime. I love my INRatio and it is what my cardio office tests on.

I pay 10% copay on my strips.

 

[Bina]

Up here Roche has certified "coaches" at various pharmacies for the Coaguchek.
The teaching course is max 1 hour.

 

[catwoman]

Up here Roche has certified "coaches" at various pharmacies for the Coaguchek.
The teaching course is max 1 hour.

That's about the extent of reading the booklet, watching the DVD, doing the little checklist or questionnaire, etc.

When I talked with a Roche rep nearly 5 years ago (this was before I found this website or knew about QAS), I was told I'd have to pay extra for the nurse to come to me to demonstrate that I could do a home-test.
About $300, if I remember right.
That's why I did not get a CoaguChek.

 

[JodyC]

my insurance

my insurance

My insurance is blue cross blue shield through my employer. They will pay 80% of the machine cost and if the test strips are a perscription I will have a flat rate. I wonder if I should test at home and if I don't how often would I be tested at the lab? I take other drugs that will interfer with the blood thinners and I always have a horrible time keeping my thyroid levers where they need to be so I am really concerned and thought the best thing I could do would be to test at home. I am very new to all of this so I would love any advice or suggestions from all of you.

Thank you

 

[Bina]

The frequency of testing when I left the hospital was weekly. After a few weeks of an INR in range, the testing is moved to every second week. After a few more in range tests I was moved to monthly.
I continued to be in range but wanted my own home tester for convenience and I test every 2 weeks for my own peace of mind.
Try to remember that Coumadin (warfarin) is an anti-coagulant.
"Blood thinners" is a general term usually used for Plavix, Aspirin, etc.