AMERICAN DIABETES MONTH

According to the CDC, Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy.

Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy.

With diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.

There isn’t a cure yet for diabetes, but losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active can really help. Other things you can do to help:

• Take medicine as prescribed.
• Get diabetes self-management education and support.
• Make and keep health care appointments.

In order to stay healthy, a person with diabetes needs supplies like test strips, meters and insulin.

Adequate and affordable health insurance is important for people with diabetes to help them access the supplies, medications, education and health care to manage their diabetes and prevent, or treat, complications.

In the past, obtaining health insurance could be difficult for people with diabetes, however recent reforms improve access to coverage. When shopping for health insurance, it is important to ask if the plan covers the diabetes supplies, services, and prescription drugs you need, and what it costs. Look at all costs, such as the deductible and co-pays for doctor visits and each prescription drug you need.

Medicare Open Enrollment occurs every fall between October 15 and December 7. During this time, people with Medicare can review their current health care and prescription drug coverage options and can make changes to their Part D prescription drug plan, Medicare Advantage plan, or switch between Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan and Medicare Advantage.

Even if you are happy with your prescription drug plan, it is important to reexamine your Part D coverage each year during Fall Open Enrollment to make sure it still meets your needs, as plans typically change their costs and list of covered drugs (known as a formulary) at the start of each year.

Health insurance sold in the Marketplace (Marketplace Open Enrollment is November 1 through January 15) must at least cover a set of “essential health benefits.” This includes doctor’s office visits; emergency room services and hospitalization; pregnancy and newborn care; mental health and substance use disorder services; prescription drugs; rehabilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive services; chronic disease management; and children’s health services (including oral and vision care).

The specific benefits covered and amount you pay for these services can vary by plan. When shopping for a health plan, it is important to ask if the plan covers the diabetes supplies, services, and prescription drugs you need, and what it costs. Look at all costs, such as the deductible and co-pays for doctor visits and each prescription drug you need. If you want to keep your current health care providers, check to see if they participate in the plan. The “Summary of Benefits and Coverage” for the plan will help you find this information, but you may need to call the plan for questions about coverage for specific services.

Visit our Product page on our website to read more about the Health Insurance we offer or call our office at 260-483-2305 to get scheduled to meet with one of our Licensed Agents.