found out why my insurance won't cover syringes for B12

ouch - i used to have to use 27 for shots when first diagnosed.  the newer ones certainly can't do that with 30 and 31 gauges.

My needles are a 28.  I barely feel it going it.

Kelly

how long?

1/2 inch.

Kelly

ok, sub cu.

i'll be following your results with interest

some get fabulous results with the shorties. i didn't.

all mixed reviews

I did some research on line and found some things that said it needed to be IM and some things that said subq was fine.  So I asked my PCP and she said in her office they normally give it subq and she thought that would be fine.  I'm going to test again in a couple months, of course, and if it doesn't seem like it's working then I'll switch to IM.

Kelly

Exactly. One of my buddies, same distal, same doc, same year, holds nearly 2000 with sub cu. I can't even reach 1000 with IM, weekly

go figure

I have medicare part D and B also, so I guess mine must have been covered under my Medicaid.  I never realized that.

I assume it must have been under Medicaid.  I believe Medicaid will cover medical supplies.  I used to work for a home health care agency and many of my patients were on Medicaid and I know they paid for things like dressing, which I believe Medicare will not pay for.  I actually have Medicaid also, but I have a huge spend down that I almost never meet, so my Medicaid hardly ever kicks in.  I have to pay something like $750 out of pocket each month before Medicaid kicks in and of course I hardly ever reach that since Medicare pays 80% of most of my medical bills.

Kelly

I am on the spenddown program also but my spenddown is $212.  Every month I either send in receipts or a check for that amount, or a combination of the 2.  I need my medicaid coverage every month in order to get my prescriptions covered at a low copay of $3.30 for brand names or $1.10 for generic.  It also pays for an aide for me.  Without paying for the spenddown each month, I would have to pay a fortune for my prescriptions each month with Medicare part D - I don't qualify for the low income without medicaid, so the gap would cripple me as well as the cost of the meds.  I also couldn't get my aide plus I get dental coverage.

I also have Empire BC/BS for a supplemental plan that pays the 20% of all my medical bills, so I don't use medicaid for anything medical, unless there are things not covered under medicare which have occurred from time to time.