I was talking to a Tandem rep a while ago and I am interested in their pump. They were offering me a deal where I pay $1400 Cdn up front and get loaned a T slim until my current pump warranty is over. Then I would be required to either return the tandem pump or pay the outstanding $5K or whatever horrid price it is. I contacted the Assistive Devices Program about getting a new pump when my current Medtronic warranty is over and ADP informed me that they would not pay for a new pump until the current one would cost more to repair than replace. They implied that even if the Medtronic pump I have now was out of warranty it would have to cost more to repair it before they would fund a new insulin pump.
Anyone else encounter problems changing pumps when their warranty is over, while dealing with ADP?
I’ve never heard of this before. So the wonderful bulletproof Canadian health care system would rather have you use an out of warranty pump? I highly doubt Medtronic would offer to fix a broken out of warranty pump.
i didn’t think they would. I was just emailing them about when I could change pumps and whether they would pay the cost of the tandem. Will have to wait and see what happens in 2 more years. Have never gotten a straight reply from ASP about anything… government for ya.
I’d see if you could pay it off in installments. Why are they offering a new pump for little money down to replace your Medtronic? I’m missing something here.
There is no “Canadian” healthcare system. Healthcare is a provincial responsibility, so each province has their own programs and rules. ADP is specific to Ontario. The other provinces and territories may or may not have similar rules.
I thought that ADP would cover a new pump every five years, but maybe they only do that if the current pump is broken beyond repair (I’ve never heard of pump repairs, though…seems odd to me).
This is not what @Sheepdogs is stating. He claims the Canadian whatever, is telling him they will only pay for a new pump, if the cost of repair to his current pump is more than the cost of a new model. If Medtronic say the repair cost of a broken screen is 2k, he’s not getting a new pump and is stuck with an out of warranty pump.
I’m not in Ontario, so I’ve never used ADP, but that’s just what I’d heard. It looks like one is eligible for a new pump every five years, but that a new pump may or may not be covered depending on the status of the older pump.
An out of warranty pump, though annoying in that you don’t get the latest technology, is no problem as long as it works. I used my Ping for eight years and it would have been fine had I been able to get it repaired. If it were me, I’d check whether ADP will cover the cost of needed repairs, such as a cracked screen. It sounds like if one is using an out-of-warranty pump and it breaks beyond repair (or if the repair cost is really high) then ADP will cover a new one:
Replacements
You can apply for a replacement pump if:
your medical condition has change and the pump no longer meets your needs
the pump is worn out, no longer under the five-year warranty and cannot be repaired at reasonable cost
a quote on the estimated repair costs must be provided
By the way, @Sheepdogs, if you’re just wanting a new pump in general, you might check out the Ypsopump. Ypsomed is offering a free Ypsopump to any current pumper (in or out of warranty) with the purchase of three boxes of reservoirs and infusion sets until the end of August. I took advantage of this and am loving it so far. The pump is pretty unique, so isn’t for everyone, but I just thought I’d throw it out there since it’s a new option to Canada that many haven’t heard of.
Okay…I don’t understand that comment, and it’s honestly kind of rude. Why is it a “cheap knockoff”? Because they both happen to have a touchscreen…?
I looked at both t:slim and YpsoPump, including seeing both pumps in person, before deciding and they are quite different products.
