CGM - Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems deliver consistent and accurate monitoring of your glucose levels to reduce or eliminate painful finger sticks, and help you better manage diabetes.

Home / Products / Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems deliver consistent and accurate monitoring of your glucose levels to reduce or eliminate painful finger sticks and help you better manage diabetes.

Accurate management of blood glucose levels is a powerful tool in preventing diabetes complications. Continuous glucose monitoring devices allow you to track your levels and trends at any time 24/7 without finger sticks, spend more time in range, significantly lower your A1C, and share essential data with loved ones and caregivers. We offer the top CGM brands, including FreeStyle Libre, Dexcom, and Eversense – Implantable CGM.*

FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus Sensor

Meet the first 15-day FreeStyle Libre Sensor that integrates with the Tandem t:slim X2 Insulin Pump.

FreeStyle Libre 3

No more scanning with the FreeStyle Libre 3 System. Get automatic updates every minute.

Dexcom G6 CGM

Always know where your glucose number is headed with the Dexcom G6 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System.

FreeStyle Libre 2 CGM and Sensor

An FDA-approved integrated continuous glucose monitoring (iCGM) system for children as young as 4 and adults with diabetes

Dexcom G6 Sensor

Dexcom G6 Transmitter. Affixes to the top of the sensor and sends data wirelessly to a display device.

G6 Sensor Applicator

Applicator and sensors for the Dexcom G6 receiver.

The Benefits of continuous glucose monitoring

What are the benefits of continuous glucose monitoring?

  • Reduce or eliminate painful finger sticks
  • Track your levels and trends over time
  • Spend more time in range
  • Significantly lower your A1C
  • Get notified of your lows and highs throughout the day or while you are sleeping
  • See how food, physical activity, illness, and medications affect your glucose levels
  • Develop better diabetes self-care behaviors by being better informed

Features and benefits vary by model, so speak with our helpful representatives to learn more about CGMs and find out if you qualify for a CGM at little or no cost with insurance coverage.

What is continuous glucose monitoring?

With a glucose monitor, continuous information on your glucose levels is constantly accessible. These products allow people with diabetes to monitor glucose as easily as scanning a sensor.

What are the special features of a CGM?

The exact features included in a CGM vary from one device to the next. However, these devices all have something in common - they are intended to make the process of monitoring glucose levels as simple as possible.

What are the specific requirements needed to use a CGM?

To be eligible for Medicare coverage of CGM, you must:

  1. Be insulin-treated for diabetes mellitus; OR,
  2. Have a history of problematic hypoglycemia*
Most private insurers follow Medicare's guidelines, but we'll check with your provider to see if you qualify.

*See details here: https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/lcd.aspx?lcdid=33822

What are the limitations of a CGM?

CGM diabetes treatment is a powerful way to measure and control your glucose levels. However, even these devices have their limits. Most notably, in certain situations - for example, if your readings are unusually low or high - you’ll need to double-check your results with a finger prick test. The CGM measures glucose in the interstitial fluid, not in the blood. The readings may be delayed by 5-10 minutes when comparing to the glucose directly in the blood (fingerstick).

What is an artificial pancreas?

An artificial pancreas is a system incorporating both a CGM and an insulin pump. These systems work by measuring glucose levels and delivering insulin when needed. With an artificial pancreas, people with diabetes can live their daily lives while minimizing the inconveniences associated with diabetes management.

Frequently Asked Questions - Continuous Glucose Monitors

The continuous glucose monitoring systems sold by US MED® have been approved for use by patients with diabetes by the FDA. If you run into any unusually high or low readings from your CGM, you can confirm them with a finger prick test.

It’s easy to use a CGM. You just insert a small sensor under the skin by using a simple applicator. The sensor is held in place by adhesive tape. That allows the sensor to measure glucose readings in the interstitial fluid, which is the fluid that surrounds the cells. It takes these readings throughout the day and night.

A transmitter connected to the sensor allows the system to send real-time readings wirelessly to either a monitoring device or an app on your smartphone that displays your glucose data.

To learn more about CGMs, try this article on the different types of CGMs.

CGM systems allow you to get real-time updates on your sugar while nearly eliminating the need for painful finger stick tests. You can also easily send this information to friends and family through compatible apps. Most CGMs have alerts to inform you of dangerously high or low sugar levels 24 hours a day and store your glucose data so you can make treatment decisions based on trends. Unlike single-time glucometer testing, most CGMs report on sugar levels every one to five minutes giving you at least  288 glucose readings per day stored in your receiver. This data takes much of the guesswork out of managing diabetes by identifying fluctuations caused by food, exercise, and lifestyle choices.

Yes! Following your recommended CGM therapy can create healthcare savings estimated at $3,555 - $6,747 per person, over three years through improved patient outcomes.

Healthcare savings are achieved through the following health benefits:

  • Reduced rates for severe hypoglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis events
  • Reduction of A1C in type 1 and type 2 diabetes*
  • Increased “time in range” within targeted blood glucose levels¶,#
  • Improvement in quality of life

The sensors used in continuous glucose monitoring systems can stay in place for quite a while. For example, the Dexcom G6 CGM’s sensors can be used for ten days before they’ll need to be replaced. FreeStyle Libre sensors last 14 days.

Most private insurance policies follow Medicare's guideline for CGM approval. Please check with your provider, or US MED can call them for you. 

To be eligible for Medicare coverage of CGM, a patient must:

  1. Be insulin-treated for diabetes mellitus; OR,
  2. Have a history of problematic hypoglycemia*

*See details here: https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/lcd.aspx?lcdid=33822

Yes - however, your insurance company will not cover any costs. You will be responsible for the total cost of your CGM. If you choose to purchase a CGM without going through your insurance, you can do so at our retail website.

Yes, the requirements for CGM have changed. To qualify for a CGM you must be treating diabetes with insulin (oral, subcutaneous injections, or using an insulin pump) or have documented level-2 hypoglycemia. That's it!

Technically, yes, but keep in mind that continuous glucose monitors were intended for people who need to manually regulate their insulin (through injections or a pump). If you do not take insulin, your insurance company will not cover any costs. Also, you will need to get a prescription from your doctor to purchase one. If you are not taking insulin, we highly recommend that you speak with your doctor to determine whether a CGM is the right device for you.

No, we have plenty of customers that have type 2 diabetes and enjoy the benefits of a CGM. Just keep in mind that for your insurance company to cover costs, you have to meet their requirements - that is, treating diabetes with insulin or having a documented case of level-2 hypoglycemia. You will also need a prescription from your doctor.

Yes. CGMs are regulated by the FDA and are only approved for use with a prescription from your doctor. US MED® will not be able to provide you with a continuous glucose monitoring device without a prescription from your doctor.

If it were up to us, we would allow anyone who lives with diabetes the opportunity to get access. Unfortunately, the decision is not ours, and insurance companies and the FDA create these requirements.

Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance providers cover continuous glucose monitors and supplies. Many variables will determine what your insurance will cover. Please call us at 1-877-840-8218 for a free benefits check, to learn if your insurance will cover a CGM, and for information on what percentage of the costs they will cover.

It is important to get all of the required documents and ship out your order. Unfortunately, in some circumstances, it can take up to 21 days before we can ship out your supplies.

These circumstances are typically the result of either not receiving your doctor’s prescription in a timely manner, receiving the prescription with missing information, or not getting authorization from your insurance provider promptly. In cases like these, we do our best to follow up and obtain the required documents from your doctor and insurance companies.

At US MED®, we offer continuous glucose monitoring systems from leading brands, such as the FreeStyle Libre 2 system, the FreeStyle Libre 3 system, and the Dexcom G6 and Dexcom G7. We also sell additional supplies for the CGMs that we have available.

All CGMs distributed by US MED have apps. Please see the table below.

CGM Apps
FreeStyle Libre 2 FreeStyle Libre 2 app and the LibreLinkUp app
FreeStyle Libre 3 FreeStyle Libre 3 app
Dexcom G6 Dexcom Clarity and Dexcom Follow app
Dexcom G7

Please refer to FreeStyle’s official compatibility guide or Dexcom’s official compatibility page for the Dexcom CGMs.

Continuous glucose monitors can greatly reduce the need for painful  finger pricks. However, you may need to do a finger prick test to confirm any low or high sensor readings and if your symptoms do not match your sensor readings.

Yes; once qualified, all US MED® patients receive 90-day supplies with each order regardless of private insurance or Medicare/Medicaid coverage.

Before applying the sensor, clean the area with soap and shave off any hair.  Allow it your skin dry fully.  Then, following the manufacturer’s guidelines and inserting your sensor, we recommend covering the sensor with a CGM overpatch.  Manufacturers create these waterproof adhesive tapes to fit either the Dexcom or the round FreeStyle Libre sensors.

You can use baby or mineral oil for CGM sensor/patch removal. Dexcom has also created a more detailed guide to sensor removal on their support page.

Must be documented in your prescriber’s medical record.

https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/69/Supplement_1/67-LB

*Beck RW, et al. JAMA. 2017;317(4):371-378.

Noar A, et al. A1C Reductions and Improved Patient-Reported Outcomes Following CGM Initiation in Insulin-Managed T2D. Presented at ADA 80th Scientific Sessions; June 12, 2020; Virtual.

#Kovatchev B, et al. N Engl J Med 2019;381(18):1707-17. C

Shirley DeLeon Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist

Medical Review by Shirley DeLeon, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

Why Choose US MED®

A+ Rating

Rating with the Better Business Bureau

Medicare Provider

Provider for Medicare and 500+ private insurance carriers

Satisfaction Scores

Industry leading Customer Satisfaction scores​

Satisfied Customers

Over 1 Million satisfied customers since 1996

Free Shipping

Free, priority shipping

90 Day Supply

90-days of supplies with each order

Do you qualify?

If you are testing 4 times per day or more

and injecting insulin 3 times a day or more,

you may qualify for a Continuous Glucose Monitor, or CGM.

If you have any questions, you can always call 1-877-840-8218.

block-woman-couch-1.png

Currently a
US Med® Patient?

If you're an existing patient, the fastest and easiest way to reorder is by logging into the patient portal, where you can also update your account.

block-couple-wall-1.png

Interested in Becoming a US MED® Patient?

It's simple, fast and easy! Just complete a quick form or call 1-877-840-8218 now and let us take care of the rest.

women-diabetes-usmed.png

Prefer to reorder by phone?

No problem! Just call 866-723-6958 and our agents will walk you through the reorder process.