To Premera

To Patty Kulpa, MD, MBA & the rest of the Premera Blue Cross decision making board,

Here is the face of the 8 year you view as a number. (taken after we got your denial)

Here are your words ... "experimental/investigational" and "may be considered medically necessary for up to three (3) days in unexplained hypoglycemic episodes and hypoglycemic unawareness" and "Uses... beyond three days are considered investigational."

Are you serious? If this weren't so serious it would be funny.

It is FDA approved for God's sake. What more does Medtronic have to do to prove to you guys that this helps? And if you know a way to make hypoglycemic episodes and/or unawareness go away after three days, please share!

Here are the fingers you want me to continue to poke 10 times a day.

Here is what it looks like out my kitchen window in the middle of the night when I test 2-3 (and will continue to test no matter how tired I get) because I am scared my daughter might die! Your phone lines close at 5 but Sain's disease does not! Hopefully you will treat the exhaustion and subsequent health conditions I will inevitably suffer.

And here is my sweatshirt sleeve that I dry my tears on when I'm trying to be big and strong and protect my kids.

I will contact our Medtronic rep on Monday to get the appeals process started. Even if we get it approved Sain probably won't have it before she starts 3rd grade.

The denial letter reinforced two things to me ... Sain is a number to them and just because you have MD after your name doesn't mean you know jack about Type 1 Diabates.

There's so much more I want to say but I am tired. Hmmm, wonder why that could be?

I will end with this -- Premera will cover viagra which, although some men might not agree, will not save a life but they won't cover a CGM?

UPDATE:

I just googled the doctor from Premera. She's a Gynecologist! What the hell would she know about Pediatric Endocrinology?