Dexcom's latest comment regarding Medicare patients staying on the G5

!4 day is out now in the USA - one hour - works great for my wife

I am convinced, based on experience, the more you calibrate a Dexcom, the more you just screw up the algorithm and it can get screwed up for several proceeding days. I learned a long time ago with the G5 2 calibrations a day works best. If it is out of whack for a few hours, it will come back to normal by itself, but at least will not screw up the algorithm. Dexcom is certainly the case for less is more.

Just like ā€œno readingsā€ I have always been able to trace those to be self-inflicted but I can see where it is much easier to blame the manufacturer. Each to his own I guess.

Crazy uncles like that rule the world.

2 Likes

I had a second reader with the Libre too. I overlapped them about 8 hours. It helped get past the quirky stage when they first started plus it would give me an idea of how accurate the new one was going to be.

That option is not available with Dexcom receivers. - It used to be in the G4 days but Dexcom plugged that hole. A Dexcom G5 transmitter number can only be read by 1 Dexcom Receiver at a time.

G5. When it doesn’t read, I use a finger stick as the only way to store it is to calibrate.

I am well satisfied with the G4. Some friends sent me expired sensors that are two years old. They work very well, and have just as much accuracy as new sensors. I recently bought a new G4 receiver on Ebay for $200+, and I get transmitter batteries replaced by a friend for $60. So I don’t need anything from Dexcom, the company.
I am 80 years old now, and very old fashioned. lol

3 Likes

Yeah the Medicare rule about the test strips needs to be amended so that they atleast provide you some.
Even 100 every 6 months would be more than sufficient in my opinion.

I don’t think I’d like to use strips that came from a vial that had been opened as long ago as 6 months, however.

At the end of the day, if enough Medicare patients have serious hypos on G6 and end up in the ER, the strip controversy will be put to bed. Sadly it will take the sacrifice of a few to benefit the many.

1 Like

I’ve been on G6 for quite a while now. I never use test strips. My last A1C was 6.4. I’ve found it to be extremely accurate. Worst case, buy some strips on Amazon. Prior to G6, I could get strips cheaper on Amazon than my copay.

My strips currently cost me nothing and they are the best strips I’ve used and are reviewed to be the best: Contour Next. I don’t like the prospect of using el-cheapo strips or having to pay a high price for my preferred strips. Medicare needs someone in their decision-making chain that understands having a CGM doesn’t preclude the NECESSITY of having access to strips that are covered by Medicare. It’s not like Medicare is given to us for free. We PAY for the coverage.

2 Likes

Good suggestion. Even though I receive my Dexcom stuff via Medicare the cost of obtaining strips from Walmart is less than dealing w/ Dexcom customer support.

I saw my Endo last Friday. He said his other patients on G6 were having good accuracy results. I had told him I was concerned about the variation in results anecdotally. He also said, when I mentioned the ā€œno stripsā€ thing, that ā€œwe have a way of getting around thatā€.
This year also, my Contour meter has been ā€˜forgetting’ that I calibrated and I have had to recalibrate in 1 to 3 hours after knowing for sure that I had done it. I guess I could get another one but then, my resistance to the G6 may be lessening, especially if my endo will make sure I still get strips. I get 300 a month now and that is plenty for me with the G5. (am T1 on Medicare)
Who knows… I am looking at January instead of doing it at the end of the year rush with those needing to do it then for insurance purposes.
Oh, and I had my best ever A1c, a 6.3 which endo would prefer to be higher and I was not trying for that but for me it was kind of amazing. For this forum it is ho hum. It helps not to be hungry sometimes!

1 Like

I saw a note from @MM1 from about 4 days ago about strips being bundled or not with Dex. I have been having to refuse my Contour strips from Dex when my dex reorder is emailed to me because they assume I want them from them but I have always gotten my strips from mail order pharmacy.
And I am on Medicare.

It may be just as easy to get it from Dex in the future if/when I do switch to G6. They may even take my dr order with less hassle than Edgepark.

You’ve pretty much nailed corporate priority. If quality helps stock price, great. If not, we’ll forget quality & find something else. Must increase shareholder wealth.

I’ve been told G6 will be available on my Medicare policy in December this year. I’ve not heard anything from Dexcom regarding strips bundled with G5. I usually get them via mail order.

G5 has been squirrely on a regular basis for the first 12 hours after sensor replacement. Arrow up, down, double up, double down - sometimes all within 15-20 minutes. I’ve learned to go easy on food/insulin and just rely on the meter during that time; it always settles down for the rest of the week afterwards. Dexcom needs to prioritize a solution for this issue that everyone seems to experience.

A1c got to 5.5 with 90% in range & <3% lows a few months ago. I love the CGM tech, so hope they keep improving it.

I am required by Dexcom (who claims that they are required by Medicare) to test at least 4x per day. My endo has to provide chart notes and a statement that she has read my meter and provide the 90 day average. Otherwise, no more supplies, even in an emergency. My G5 battery expired 2 weeks before I was ā€œeligibleā€ to reorder. So, 2.5 weeks without the cgm.

I just have a hard time believing what Dexcom tells me. I have never tried contacting Medicare.

If battery expired while under warranty, Dexcom should send replacement. Did you contact them ?

That’s just nuts. I’ve been using the G5 on Medicare for 2 years. As has my wife. there has been no requirement to provide documentation showing that we test, ā€œat leastā€ 4x a day. Someone is confused about the rules, apparently.