670G without sensors?

I’m just curious to know if a 670G pump can be used without sensors?

Yes but it will just be a normal insulin pump. It won’t have any of the features like suspend before low or auto mode.

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Of course. I wouldn’t use mine with MM’s infernal sensors. :slight_smile: Having a sensor FALSELY read “low” when I’m asleep and suspending delivery would royally mess me up (extreme high bg’s would likely occur, depending on how long the error persisted). No thanks–I’ve been down the MM road of sensor troubles. Plus they irritate my skin. Plus Medicare currently doesn’t cover them. Plus I love my Dexcom.

Sure you can use 670G without sensors. But why would you do that? I’ve had a 670G pump /w Guardian 3 sensors for about 2 years now with excellent results.

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My experience has been the same as Steve’s. I appreciate the sensor sensing rising BGs during the night and causing the pump to adjust insulin flow to take care of it.

Can’t afford them?

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Many insurance plans cover sensors. But that depends on what insurance plan you have. Medicare (if applicable) currently does not cover the 670G guardian 3 sensors but they have filed for non-adjunctive labeling with the FDA to all Medicare to cover them.

http://newsroom.medtronic.com/news-releases/news-release-details/medtronic-requests-approval-non-adjunctive-labeling-fda

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Thanks Steve. I have been following all of this very closely. And am aware.

Thankyou for posting again.

I have appeals in to both Medicare and my secondary insurance.

Though some have said this is fruitless, perhaps the powers that be may hear the tiny cry in the night.

And push things along.

If more of us appealed, if able, that cry would be louder.

Will any of that make a difference?

I don’t know but I am making the attempt.

Sally, Medicare will approve them when they get “a round tuit”. :slight_smile:

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I am clear on that!:grinning::flushed::woozy_face:

I have also applied to our secondary health insurance.

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When United Healthcare was my supplementary, G3s wewe covered 80%.by UHC. However, When my coverage was changed to United Healthcare Medicare Group Advantage, the G3s were no longer covered. I appealed twice to UHC but was denied with the comment that they were not covered by Medicare.

I sent in the second appeal because the UHC rep advised that they should be covered. Apparently, UHC supplementary coverage is different from UHC Advantage coverage

there are two classes of Medicare supplemental plans: Advantage, which MAY pay for things that Medicare didn’t cover, and Medigap (like I have which only pays their portion if Medicare deems an item “covered”).

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Hi Don, we were told that our secondary insurance from my husband’s job sensors would be covered and than poof they said Nope because Medicare did not cover. It was too late. BC/BS.

So we have an appeal in to them.

We won another appeal with them in the past with the pump.

I am persuing all avenues as I have mentioned previously although others think it is pointless.

It’s who I am.

Don I wanted to mention that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and if I had taken a plan supplemental through Medicare they would not have covered my Enbrel which is working well for me. If I did not have this secondary insurance I would have had to get infusions at the hospital every 8 weeks. And no guarantee that type of RA medication would work or as well.

It’s crazy!!!

It can and should! (At least without the garbage Medtronic sensors.) you lose the advantages of Auto mode but if you’re on Dexcom you don’t need to calibrate 2-3x/day, which is a huge pain, especially in the middle of the night. I tried the Medtronic sensors for a few weeks but it was too much “overhead” to keep doing.

My Medtronic rep stated that the reason for calibration is that it’s a lifesaving fda approved algorithm, blah blah blah. Fair enough, but Dexcom will alarm if I’m too high or low. I’d use Tandem if the UHC cartel would let me, but for now it’s an exclusive arrangement with medtronic. So I just use it as a pump only and do Dexcom for CGM. I love it. 80% or more time in range!!!

I stopped using the sensors with my 670. I hated fighting the sensors, the inaccuracy, and the poor control.

Now that I’m back to using it as a normal pump, I have my A1c back to the 5.7-6.0 range.

I was told that they made improvements to the sensor, but I didn’t want to mess with them again.

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So glad to see people having success with this system. It just goes to the mindset we all have to have when talking about diabetes, what works for me might not work for you!
I have meet people who have had great success with this system and love it. I have also meet people who hated it and turned off the auto feature which is really why someone would get this new pump.
I have the Tandem IQ which I love but have also meet people who don’t.
So it is so great to see people trying different things and realizing that things change and can get better. Medtronic’s new sensor seem to be much better than any of their older ones, which I did try and hated. So technology is good and usually does get better.
Glad it is working so well for you!