If possible (assuming your insurance will cover or you are willing to pay cash) do you upgrade to new diabetes technologies right away or wait until you read others reviews or your doctor makes the recommendation?
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I definitely wait but also do some research… ¡great topic!
If I can I do.
Dumb question: can I even get a new pump or new CGM without a prescription and without insurance coverage? I don’t think so but…?
You are right, you will need a prescription.
True that, but, at least my experience with doctors/devices has been that if I as much as initiate a request for a quote, the device maker contacts my doctor/insurance and gets the necessary paperwork done – to make it quicker to process a sale.
Like @Mariana11, sometimes I wait and sometimes I adopt the technology early. The novelty of any D-tech does not drive my interest unless there is some science and hard facts to support the new gadget.
As an example, I’m currently still using the Dexcom G4 system since I’ve concluded that the incremental improvements for the G5 and G6 are not enticing enough to cause me to leap ahead. Dexcom’s dropping of required daily sensor calibrations is not incentive enough for someone who only a few years ago was fingerpricking 15 times per day. One or two calibrations per day does not represent a heavy burden to me. Neither does carrying one fewer small diabetes device .
On these kind of questions, I usually find myself in the minority. I’m glad to have the options, however!
When I was still working (recently retired) our own Medical Department had a very advanced diabetes support and management clinic. I had free diabetes lunchtime classes and got to try new insulin pumps or new CGM. It was fabulous and I miss it terribly. I could try before I buy and the on-site diabetes doctor partnered with my own endo to prescribe and get me the new insulin pump or CGM of my choice. Plus, they had an insurance person right there to let us know exactly what was covered and approximate costs. Since retiring, I’m on my own. So I have to do far more research on my own. Plus, my insurance now only pays for Medtronic pumps. I’m now on the 670G and have learned how to get good results and good A1Cs. I remember the old days for about 3 hours each week between recharge and warm up for my CGM. I think I could work with anything other than old fashioned finger sticks and MDI.
After so many times getting burned when new electronics hit the market, I have taken a wait and see with most things diabetes related. It’s always nice to watch and see and get the tricks all the early users discover. I think the only time I would be first, would be if I was part of the clinical trial.