Posts Tagged ‘diabetes’

Outpatient intravenous insulin therapy (OIVIT) is to remain nationally noncovered. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently concluded that OIVIT does not improve health outcomes and is not reasonable and necessary for any indication. Read more »

According to the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), the U.S. House of Representatives has inserted language into its health care reform designating certified diabetes educators (CDEs®) as Medicare providers for outpatient diabetes self-management training (DSMT). Read more »

Diabetes patients taking NovoLog® (HCPCS Level II code S5551 Insulin, most rapid onset (Lispro or Aspart); 5 units) can now use the insulin in their pump for up to six days. Diabetes care company Novo Nordisk announced Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of this labeling change July 21. The previous label allowed for NovoLog® to be stored in the pump reservoir for two days.

The updated label also states patients using NovoLog® in their pumps should change the infusion set and the infusion set insertion site at least every three days. The previous label stated that NovoLog® in the pump reservoir, infusion set and the infusion set insertion site be changed at least every 48 hours.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has added two new quality measures to the Dialysis Facility Compare consumer Web site to show the percentage of patients at any given dialysis facility whose hemoglobin levels are reportedly unsafe.

Previously, the Web site only showed the percentage of patients in a facility whose hematocrit levels were at 33 percent or more (or hemoglobin levels of 11 g/dL or more). Read more »

In a proposed decision memo, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) states that there is little evidence to support open and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, or open and laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch as reasonable and necessary in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and a body-mass index (BMI) less than 35. Read more »

Let diabetic patients know Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Covidien) recalled one lot of ReliOn 31-gauge, 1cc insulin syringes due to possible mislabeling.

According to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Nov. 5 news release, there was a mix up during the packaging process and some syringes labeled for use with U-40 insulin were mixed with syringes labeled for use with U-100 insulin. The syringes were then packaged individually and boxed as 100 units for use with U-100 insulin. Read more »