Appeal type: unknown
Decision: unknown

 
The rules say that plans must pay for a medical service or item if regular Medicare would pay for it in this case. 
You can find this rule at 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section 422.101. 
 
The rules state that to be eligible for coverage of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and related supplies, the 
beneficiary must meet all of the following initial coverage criteria (1)-(5): 
 
1. The beneficiary has diabetes mellitus; and, 
2. The beneficiarys treating practitioner has concluded that the beneficiary (or beneficiarys caregiver) has 
sufficient training using the CGM prescribed as evidenced by providing a prescription; and, 
3. The CGM is prescribed in accordance with its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indications for use; 
and, 
4. The beneficiary for whom a CGM is being prescribed, to improve glycemic control, meets at least one of the 
criteria below: 
   A. The beneficiary is insulin-treated; or, 
   B. The beneficiary has a history of problematic hypoglycemia with documentation of at least one of the 
following: 
      -     Recurrent level 2 hypoglycemic events that persist despite multiple attempts to adjust  
            medication(s) and/or modify the diabetes treatment plan; or, 
      -     A history of one level 3 hypoglycemic event characterized by altered mental and/or physical state 
requiring third-party assistance for treatment of hypoglycemia 
5. Within six (6) months prior to ordering the CGM, the treating practitioner has an in-person or Medicare-
approved telehealth visit with the beneficiary to evaluate their diabetes control and determined that criteria (1)-
(4) above are met. You can find this information in the Local Coverage Determination (LCD): Glucose 
Monitors (L33822). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The rules say that replacement refers to the provision of an identical or nearly identical item. Equipment which 
the beneficiary owns or is a capped rental item may be replaced in cases of loss or irreparable damage. 
Irreparable wear refers to deterioration sustained from day-to-day usage over time and a specific event cannot 
be identified. Replacement of equipment due to irreparable wear takes into consideration the reasonable useful 
lifetime (RUL) of the equipment. In the absence of program instructions, Medicare contractors may determine 
the reasonable useful lifetime of equipment, but in no case can it be less than 5 years. Replacement due to wear 
is not covered during the reasonable useful lifetime of the equipment. During the reasonable useful lifetime, 
Medicare does cover repair up to the cost of replacement (but not actual replacement) for medically necessary 
equipment owned by the beneficiary. You can find this information in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
Service, Internet-Only Manual, Publication 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, Section 
110.2. 
 
The rules say that Medicare will pay for durable medical equipment (DME) that is reasonable and necessary for 
treatment of an illness or injury, or to improve the functioning of a malformed body part. Medicare considers 
equipment to be reasonable and necessary if the equipment does not serve the same purpose as other equipment 
already available to an enrollee. You can find these rules in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 
Internet Only Manual, Publication 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, Section 110.1(C). 
 
If you want to read these Medicare rules, you can go to this website www.medicareappeal.com. 
 
The Plan contract says that the Plan covers items and services in accordance with Medicare rules.