I’ve only ever had a G4 years ago, and those transmitters would last +/- 8 months for me. I’ve been trying to decide between the G5 and G6 systems, as I’ve recently found out my insurance does cover Dexcom, but I have a lifetime limit of $4000 for it…so just over a year if I play my cards right (a bit more if I can change the batteries on the transmitters myself).
I just wanted to confirm that the G5 transmitters work the same way as the older G4’s, in that the second you take them out of the box, the battery is active? I’m just thinking if I go one week on Dexcom and one week off, I’m guessing the battery will still deplete at the same rate using vs not using?
Dexcom has given me quotes for G5 vs G6 systems, and although the G6 system is $1200 cheaper per year, I’ve been reading all the nightmare stories on here about them blocking restarts on sensors and transmitters now, so it’s swaying me to the G5 which, if still allows that, will be much cheaper in the long run.
The G5 has not been updated to block restarts and Dexcom isn’t planning to do any further updates to the G5 system (they are also planning to phase it out soon though). The batteries do deplete even when still in the box but not as much as when the transmitter is taken out. You can replace the batteries on any of the Dexcom systems if you are nimble enough.
The biggest issue you might have is affording the sensors after your insurance reaches it’s limit. BTW, what on earth type of insurance do you have so I can avoid it like the plague? Would you be able to appeal it on the basis of something like hypo unawareness? Costco has a program where you can get G6 transmitters for cheap if you insurance denies coverage, I think about $30 but there isn’t much of a break on the sensors unfortunately.
Thank you. That’s disappointing that they deplete even while in the box never even being activated. I’m pretty sure the G4 wasn’t like that because it had a magnet in the box that did something to the battery while it was still in the box.
As for my insurance, it’s with my job. I have a $10,000 lifetime limit on insulin pumps, and for some reason they decided to put Dexcom in the category of “insulin pump”, lovely isn’t it. Guess they just don’t want to pay out anymore than that. Also I’m in Canada so i doubt Costco has any plan like that here, don’t think there’s even a place that sells Dexcom other than Dexcom itself here in Canada.
If anyone has suggestions for private insurance i can buy that will pay for insulin pump/supplies as well as Dexcom with no limits I’d love to hear which ones.
I haven’t heard of one in Canada. When I was shopping around a few years back they all had a lifetime cap on pumps and pump supplies and a yearly cap on CGM supplies. But I’d certainly challenge the insurance company’s decision to lump pumps and CGMs in together. They should be treated separately. Putting a lifetime cap on CGM supplies is like putting a lifetime cap on test strips.
Since it’s through your work, I’d start with HR or whatever department deals with the insurance. Ask them to ask the insurance company to revisit the decision, and give your reasons for why CGMs should not be classed as insulin pump supplies. If that fails, you can always call them yourself. You’ll probably need to speak to a manager rather than a customer support person – someone authorized to take a second look. It might take a while, but stick with it!
I have just sent an email to my insurance company to confirm what I had initially thought. I’m hoping now that I am mistaken.
When I initially sent in my estimate for my Tandem X2, they put the total of the estimate ($7000-something) in the “insulin pump” category, which has a lifetime limit of $10,000.
I had initially thought that I would be screwed and that the supplies bought for the insulin pump would also be charged under this $10,000 limit, but as I have come to find out, that is not the case and they are charged separately under a category with no lifetime limit (as would make sense since they need to be bought every month).
I’m hoping now that the Dexcom is the same thing. It didn’t hit my mind before, but I’m crossing my fingers they just put the estimate into that category exactly as they did with the insulin pump, but the supplies will be charged to the category that has no limit.
I hope that makes sense. Time will tell but it seems weird that they would cover insulin pump supplies in a separate category but not Dexcom supplies, which are almost the same thing (need to be purchased monthly).
