Curious to see if there are any users here that use a Dexcom G5 and don’t have it covered by insurance so they have to pay for it on their own.
I just did that for my sensors. The company I used was “negotiating” with medicare and they never returned any of my emails so I had to go looking. I just got a box of sensors for roughly $204 and that was shipping and taxes. Not much more then I was paying this other company. We are both retired so that is a chunk of change. But I look at it this way, that is about 3-4 months of being able to control my BS. It was through Gary T Enterprises on Amazon. Ordered 9/29 and got them on 10/1. G5
So 4 G5 sensors costs around $200?
Good pricing. I thought the cash price for G4/G5 sensors was more around $85 (per sensor).
EDIT: We were typically getting 12 ~ 14 days on a single G4/G5 sensor. I assume you extend the sensor life if possible? How many days do you typically get?
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The gentleman selling them says he is diabetic and wishes to pass on the savings. I believe he is an entrepreneur. Yes, with shipping and tax it was $204
I’m in Calgary Canada and have always paid out of pocket for CGM (Dexcom).
Sensors are $85ea so a box of 4 is $340; the G5 transmitter is $350 (only lasts 3 months so that’s $1,400/year).
My sensors are lasting (and accurate) for about 4 weeks each, so I’ll need a new transmitter before I use a box of 4 sensors.
If you used one G5 sensor every 3 weeks, total sensor cost per year = $1,500 (Canadian). Another 4 transmitters per year brings total cost to $2,900
Bonnie, go to the Dexcom web site and ask for more information. They will have a rep from Dexcom call you, My sensors are paid 80% by Medicare
We pay out of pocket also - we’re in Ontario.
If paying out of pocket, will the Libre be more cost effective? In Canada the sensors cost $89 and the receiver cost $49. No transmitter to buy, all built into the sensor.
Me, Dexcom has not been approved in my country yet. So it’s extremely complicated for me, plus there’s no way I can get an insurance here as diabetes is stated as preexisting condition so there’s no possible way. I pay all my diabetes things out of pocket. Which is why I work all dayyyyy and alll night.
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Canada , Montreal , out of pocket - insurance doesn’t even have 1 plan covering
I was under the impression insurance cover until age 18. Pump is covered, is it not? I am in MTL, Canada and self finance Dexcom. I donut very cheaply by using expired sensors and refurbished transmitters.
Yes, pumps are covered by the assistive devices program for those under 18, but no coverage at all for cgm - at least in Ontario.
Same in Quebec. I tried to push before the elections T1D to contact the candidates for some sort of commitment to T1D but those who have coverage don’t care much for those who have not. Those who have no coverage don’t know what they are missing !
@Montreal_Mom
How would this work for a system like the Medtronic 670g which is an integrated pump/cgm system?
Does the insurance typically available in your area cover the cgm if it comes with the pump?
The program in Quebec was never put into law. I was told that insurance companies may not cover past 18 because it’s not in the law. I did not fact check.
Medtronics, as reputable as it is, we could not handle being tangled with tubes and its CGM is not reliable like the dexcom.
I can’t see the T1D community advancing without the technologies .
Costco’s prices are lower than many insurance plans’ out of pocket costs for Dexcom.
I can’t get into prices here because my wife works for Dexcom. Check them out, you can post them here.
Dexcom G4 200$ per Box or 2 boxes for 380
If you are in Canada and have private/workplace insurance that did not earlier cover CGMs, or even recently said no, keep checking. Canadian private insurers are increasingly offering coverage. And they don’t automatically advise current customers. It was only by accident, while Googling something else, that I found a press release from my insurance company announcing they now covered CGMs.
According to Dexcom Canada’s website, Canadian insurers currently covering CGMs include “Manulife, Sun Life Financial, Great West Life, Desjardins, Green Shield, Industrial Alliance Financial Group, Pacific Blue Cross, Medavie Blue Cross, Alberta Blue Cross, and Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan – to name a few.”
And of course if you don’t have any insurance, you can claim costs for “a device designed to allow a person with diabetes to measure their blood sugar levels” as a medical expense on your income tax.
My insurance (MVP) covered my Dexcom G5 for only one year (Aug '17-Aug '18). Then they notified me the coverage has stopped. They will cover sensors, but not the transmitter or receiver. There are transmitter battery replacement sites on Facebook. It costs me only $55 + postage to get a battery replaced. It lasts just as long and performs just as well as the original battery did. My only other expense in the receiver, but they last a long time. My current receiver is working fine after 14 months of use. I will be able to continue with my G5 indefinitely, without much expense.
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