Intuity Medical, Inc., a medical technology company committed to making it easier to live with diabetes, announced today that its POGO Automatic® Blood Glucose Monitoring (ABGM) system, featuring one-step testing, is now covered by Medicare Part B. This decision expands access to the innovative monitor for the 16.5 million seniors age 65 and up living with diabetes.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) created two new coverage codes specifically for POGO Automatic, recognizing this new and significantly different technology compared to traditional blood glucose meters (BGMs). POGO Automatic features an all-in-one design that integrates testing supplies into a 10-test cartridge.
As the first and only FDA-cleared automatic blood glucose monitoring (ABGM) system on the market, POGO Automatic revolutionizes diabetes management by allowing people with diabetes (PWD) to easily test their glucose levels without disrupting their daily activities. Its one-step process automates the multiple-step glucose monitoring process associated with traditional BGMs, making it easier for many seniors to check their blood glucose.
Recognized by healthcare professionals for its user-friendly design which can improve testing compliance, POGO Automatic is endorsed as the ideal solution for many diabetes patients by Rosemarie Lajara, MD, an endocrinologist with Southern Endocrinology & Diabetes Associates, P.A. in Plano, Texas:
“Many people with diabetes continue to rely on glucose monitors for tracking their blood sugar levels, particularly within the Medicare population, which often includes patients with dexterity, visual, or physical challenges that make traditional self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) meters cumbersome and challenging. Patients desire options, and currently, there is no meter like this one. POGO Automatic is an all-in-one automated product that streamlines the process. The extension of POGO Automatic’s use to our Medicare patients is a positive development, as it eliminates numerous manual steps, simplifying glucose monitoring throughout the day, which can lead to increased testing compliance and metabolic control.”
Automating blood glucose testing steps address an unmet need for many patients who find traditional blood glucose meters, test strips, lancets, and lancing devices challenging to handle. The new coverage codes – Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes E2104 for the monitor for use with integrated lancing/blood sample testing cartridge and A4271 for the integrated lancing and blood sample testing cartridges– allow Medicare beneficiaries, who previously could not access this new technology, to obtain POGO Automatic using their Medicare Part B coverage.
“POGO Automatic bridges the gap between cumbersome traditional BGMs that the vast majority of seniors with diabetes rely on today and CGMs, which, despite their clinical benefits, can be burdensome to wear and may cause skin irritation issues,” said George Zamanakos, CEO and President of Intuity Medical. “With Medicare now covering POGO Automatic, millions of seniors finally have access to a needed alternative that simplifies blood glucose monitoring to one step. This empowers them to manage their diabetes and lets them live life on their own terms.”
Intuity Medical is actively working with a network of large retail pharmacies so patients can fulfill their Medicare prescriptions as soon as possible. For more information on POGO Automatic, visit GoodtoPogo.com.
