Question for Al

[Granbonny]

Now that I am on Medicare....I have stockpiled enough cuvettes to last for several more months before..I run out..Not sure that my Insurance will pay for them. Even if they will not pay..I will buy them.. LOVE my Protime..home testing.. My question to you....After 3 years and always stay in range.... do you think it is safe to go without testing for a Month?... I wasted 2 in past month..due to thinking..heat in Ga..stress..ect..Not eating good, ect..Both times..3.3.......I thought both times I would be out of range..Nope..Same thing....I know that I have No brusing..bleeding ect..so..do you think it would be safe for me to go a Month?..without testing..My clinical Nurse..always says,,call me back in a Month...but when I have that Protime sitting on my counter..and cuvetttes in Fridge..just cannot help but check....should I put my Protime in closet and forget about it.. and check just once a month?Bonnie

 

[hensylee]

bONNIE, bro's is taken only once a month unless he's out of range and the dr changes his dosage. When that happens, I take him for tests as often as dr suggests. They call me to tell me what to do. I bet if you are in range you might be able to stretch it a bit.

 

[Ross]

Bonnie if your on traditional Medicare and not a Medicare HMO, they will pay for weekly testing and supplies. Could you go a month? If your stable, sure, but if they'll pay for weekly testing, why not do it?

 

[ALCapshaw2]

That might be a good question for QAS. I 'thought' I had read that Medicare paid for home testing. Worth looking into.

It is my 'understanding' that once a month (sometimes even once every 6 weeks) is standard for stable Coumadin patients at most clinics. My clinic has me on a once a month protocol but asked if I would like to just come every 6 weeks. I declined the 'offer'.

I'm still trying to find someone who knows something about anticoagulation at my company's home office so that I can file a request for coverage from BCBS of Michigan. GM employees get BCBS coverage but my company does not have it as a covered benefit (yet). I was the first to get it authorized from BCBS of Alabama but since supplies are considered Durable Medical Equipment, I must file through the 'home office'. Sorry for getting off topic.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[hensylee]

bro has medicare plus UHC and neither has ever sqwaked (sp?) about how often. Sometimes I have to take bro every other week. We never, ever get a bill - all covered by insurance, total. there is a standing order that the hosp lab calls the dr once a year for renewal.

 

[Gemma]

It is my 'understanding' that once a month (sometimes even once every 6 weeks) is standard for stable Coumadin patients at most clinics.

In the UK it's every 12 weeks. (I know, you're probably all going ) Jim tests at home a few times between clinic tests (approx every 3-4 weeks) to keep an eye on it, but so far so good. I guess it must work OK for the other patients who don't have a home monitor or they'd reduce the interval.

Gemma.

 

[bvdr]

In the UK it's every 12 weeks. (I know, you're probably all going ) Jim tests at home a few times between clinic tests (approx every 3-4 weeks) to keep an eye on it, but so far so good. I guess it must work OK for the other patients who don't have a home monitor or they'd reduce the interval.

Gemma.

...EITHER THAT OR the plan is to REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PATIENTS TESTING.

I have Cigna and they are not paying for any supplies at all. I still choose to hometest but I know for many that wouldn't be an option in the same circumstances.

 

[Granbonny]

Ross

Ross

I chose hometesting so I will not have to go for a vein draw..which I believe medicare wants you to go once a week..(either way, vein or fingerstick)...,,I will probably end up buying my own supplies..Just not worth the hassle..My local clinic has to pony express it to Lab, ect..call my cardio..and they would call me back next day..That's how it worked the first 2 months before I got my Protime....I'm not sure but think that my UHC will not pay..since I am on Medicare.so..will just buy them.. and try not to test so often...Bonnie

 

[Blanche]

Bonnie:
We talked about this some time ago. You were going to save the posts. Medicare does not require finger stick. Medicare will cover your testing. I suggest that you call QAS and have them explain the procedure to you. I'm just not very good at explaining Medicare, and those at QAS are very clear and easy to understand. You have nothing to lose. If you don't like what they say, you can still buy your own supplies. Here is some information I copied from PT/INR site, which is the featured site of the month for this board.
*****************************



Medicare Policy

Coverage
Use of the International Normalized Ratio (INR) allows physicians to determine the level of anticoagulation in a patient independent of the laboratory reagents used. The INR is the ratio of the patient's prothrombin time compared to the mean prothrombin time for a group of normal individuals.

For services furnished on or after July 1, 2002, Medicare will cover the use of home prothrombin time INR monitoring for anticoagulation management for patients with mechanical heart valves on warfarin. The monitor and the home testing must be prescribed by a physician and the following patient requirements must be met:

· Must have been anticoagulated for at least three months prior to use of the home INR device;


%0
· Must undergo an educational program on anticoagulation management and the use of the device prior to its use in the home; and



· Self-testing with the device is limited to a frequency of once per week.

Hope this helps. Here is the whole site http://www.ptinr.com/data/pages/section.aspx?section=insurance&z=16&full=other

Blanche

 

[Gemma]

...EITHER THAT OR the plan is to REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PATIENTS TESTING.

I thought exactly the same thing as I was writing it! Having been once to the clinic at the hospital (an experience never to be repeated - Jim now gets a blood sample taken at his doctor's surgery which is then sent to the hospital the same day for testing) I can see why they may want to cut down numbers. Or open another clinic!

Of course, it's quite possible that only people like Jim who home test in between the 12-weekly checks stay in range that long. For all I know all the other patients at the clinic may be going in every other week! But I do recall reading a study which stated some clinics in the UK had as much success with 12 or 14 weekly intervals as they did with testing every 4-6 weeks. No way of knowing what the peoples' INR was in the intervening 12 weeks of course... what a can of worms...

Gemma.