What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare

Preferred Diabetic Supply Program for NYCDCC Medicare-Eligible Retirees Covered under UnitedHealthcare

October 21, 2020

What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare
For Medicare-Eligible Retirees covered under the NYCDCC Welfare Fund, UnitedHealthcare (“UHC”) is providing coverage for diabetes glucose meters and testing strips under the Preferred Diabetic Supply Program.

Effective January 1, 2021, the program will provide the following OneTouch® and Accu-Chek® items at a $0 cost share to Medicare-Eligible Retirees:

Glucose meters:

  • OneTouch Verio Flex®
  • OneTouch Verio Reflect®
  • Accu-Chek® Guide Me
  • Accu-Chek® Guide

Test strips:

  • OneTouch Verio®
  • OneTouch Ultra®
  • Accu-Chek® Guide
  • Accu-Chek® Aviva Plus
  • Accu-Chek® SmartView

Remember, when you use one of the approved meters and corresponding strips, your cost-share for diabetes testing and monitoring supplies is a $0 copay. If you are using another brand and would like to switch to one of the preferred brands, you may be required to get a new prescription from your doctor.

If you have questions concerning UHC’s Preferred Diabetic Supply Program, you can contact UHC at (888) 736-7441 or via their website at www.UHCretiree.com.

UnitedHealthcare will eliminate out-of-pocket costs in standard fully insured group plans for certain preferred prescription drugs, including insulin and several drugs used to treat emergencies such as severe allergic reactions, hypoglycemia, opioid overdoses, and acute asthma attacks. This new standard offering will be available to group fully insured plans potentially as early as January 1, 2023, subject to any required regulatory approval.  

Eliminating out-of-pocket expenses for these critical medications can help reduce the burden of medical costs on consumers and encourage better medication adherence, reducing the risk of complications and expensive hospitalizations.

These actions are part of UnitedHealth Group’s ongoing efforts to ensure people get the drugs they need and to make health care more affordable. Offering these preferred drugs at $0 cost share builds on past moves by both UnitedHealthcare and Optum Rx, including point-of-sale discounts that have delivered millions of dollars of savings directly to consumers at the pharmacy counter.

“High prices are a significant barrier to prescription drugs for many people, so we are using our unique capabilities to deliver savings for consumers,” said Brian Thompson, chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare. “We are doing what we can to shield people from the prices set by pharmaceutical companies, and hope all stakeholders also will act to make prescription drugs more affordable.”

In addition to insulin, four preferred emergency use medications will be included in the new standard offering and will also have a $0 cost share:

  • Epinephrine – severe allergic reactions
  • Glucagon – hypoglycemia
  • Naloxone – opioid overdoses
  • Albuterol – acute asthma attacks

About UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 1.5 million physicians and care professionals, and 7,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The company also provides health benefits and delivers care to people through owned and operated health care facilities in South America. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified health care company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @UHC on Twitter.

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  4. Diabetes

  • Diabetes
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    • Managing blood sugar
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Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Glucose. Insulin. Type 1. Type 2. Diabetes. What does it all mean? For the 1 in 10 Americans living with diabetes,1 it means managing blood sugar (glucose) levels. Whether you’re just learning of a diabetes diagnosis or you’ve been living with diabetes for some time, careful diabetes management may make a world of difference.

Get diabetes support

Looking for support and tips for managing diabetes?

Download the My Diabetes Toolkit

What are common symptoms of diabetes?

If you have the following symptoms,2 call your doctor right away. Without medical intervention, a person with diabetes may suffer from damaged organs, lose consciousness and even slip into a life-threatening coma, also called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Being able to act quickly may potentially save a person’s life. Here’s what to watch out for:

  • Feeling hungry (your body wants fuel)

  • Unintended weight loss (your body starts burning fat and muscle)

  • Cuts that take longer to heal

  • Breath that smells like acetone/nail polish remover, a sign of ketones rising to unsafe levels in the blood

  • Feeling sick to your stomach

What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare

Managing blood sugar

To understand diabetes, it helps to understand the role of blood sugar, or glucose, in our bodies — the main source of energy for our cells. It also helps to understand the importance of insulin.

What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes is when your blood sugar levels are high, just not high enough to be considered diabetes. If prediabetes is left unchecked, it can turn into type 2 diabetes.3 Thankfully, there are positive steps you can take to get prediabetes under control.

What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare

What is type 1 diabetes?

There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition when the body attacks itself by mistake, destroying the cells in the pancreas that make insulin.4 Type 1 was once known as juvenile diabetes since most people diagnosed are in elementary school or preteens.5 There is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Researchers think type 1 may be genetic/hereditary or caused by childhood infections.6 The symptoms may appear quickly and may be hard to ignore.

What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, is when your body doesn’t use insulin properly. Some people are prediabetic before becoming diabetic. Type 2 diabetes used to be known as “adult-onset” diabetes, but today more kids are being diagnosed, possibly because of the rise in childhood obesity. No one knows exactly what causes diabetes, but there are known contributing risk factors.

What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare

Life with diabetes

Whatever might have prompted you to seek medical attention, you may have a range of emotions after hearing, “You have diabetes.” Here are some tips for finding ways to learn about diabetes and cope if you've recently been diagnosed.

What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare

Control diabetes with exercise

When it comes to managing, delaying or preventing diabetes, exercise and diet can both play a big role. These are two areas where you have ways to help control your health.

What diabetic supplies are covered by unitedhealthcare

Understanding diabetes

Looking to understand the basics of diabetes? Get an overview and download a flier with tips for understanding diabetes.

Does United Healthcare cover the dexcom G6?

UnitedHealth Group offering Dexcom G6 CGMs, Fitbit trackers, virtual coaching to 230,000 Type 2 members. Members in 27 states and Washington D.C. are eligible to receive the Level2 chronic care model at no additional cost.

What are examples of diabetic supplies?

What Diabetes Supplies and Devices Do I Need?.
Insulin, Insulin Syringes, and Insulin Pens..
Insulin Pump..
Blood Sugar Meters, Blood Lancets, and Diabetic Test Strips..
Ketone Test Strips..
Glucose Tablets and Glucagon..
Diabetes Medical Alert Bracelet..