I think that I once heard Kevin Sayer indicate in an interview that the new receiver will be more durable and that will be needed for Medicare users where the receiver must be warrantied for 3 years. At the same time I think I read something that Medicare users will continue to get the old style receiver and we are only offered the black one.
But frankly as I wait to hear authoritatively whether I can use my X2 pump instead of the Dexcom receiver, I am just frustrated with the whole situation. In general different representatives from Dexcom and Tandem tell different people different things.
I have mixed feeling whether I want the touchscreen receiver. The advantage of the regular receiver is that you can dismiss alerts without looking at it. I am not saying that is a good thing, but I get tired of having to pull out my phone, open it with a fingerprint, follow the alert to the app to dismiss it. The touchscreen receiver will require that I look at it unless I get good at knowing where the dismiss button is without looking at it. Mind you, I normally do look at what the Dex is alerting…
Laddie, I too like how fast I can dismiss an alert, so I wouldn’t want that feature to become a chore. I’ve no idea what the interface is for the new TOUCHSCREEN (edit) receiver, even after looking through the PDF that mentions that receiver. Anyone have info on the UI for the touchscreen receiver?
Dave, dismissing alerts is a chore for me right now. I wear an Apple Watch and although there is a Dismiss button on the watch, it only dismisses it from the watch. Therefore I have to get out my phone for the official dismissal. Of course when the next Watch iOS update comes out, It will allow dismissal from the Watch.
Right now I have turned off the alerts on my phone and am using my X2 pump, mostly for practice if Medicare ends up allowing me to use the pump instead of the Dex receiver.
I have enough supplies to last until early February so I will spend this fall getting to love the new Watch software and even my pump. And then unless policies change, those options will be ripped away from me…
But I will survive. The financial value of Medicare coverage of CGM is significant enough that I can survive using the Dex receiver.
I wouldn’t get my hopes up, if I were on Medicare. Everybody was certain that Medicare would not include pumps into this stupid decision. The Tandem X2 is classified as durable medical equipment, and is covered by Medicare, but that didn’t stop them from telling Tandem the X2 cannot be used with the G5. This is officially what Tandem is stating corporate wide to their Medicare patients. Absolutely nothing makes sense anymore. The more information I get on this, the more my stomach turns, I’m not even close to the age of getting Medicare.
Jason, I can only surmise that the seemingly nutty, uncaring decisions that Medicare makes can best be explained by the fact it is a government agency. Insurance company rules are bad enough, often times, but never doubt the ability of a government agency to be even more unreasonable and illogical.
I agree Dave. The only explanation for this ruling that I’ve read, is that Medicare did not want to get into a situation where they’d be buying iPhones for everyone. This is complete and utter BS. Every other health insurance company and HMO are not telling their G5 patients absolutely no smartphone useage, and I guarantee they’re not worried about having to buy smartphones for their patients. Again, logic went bye bye quick since this decision to cover CGM supplies was announced.
I conducted my own backfill experiment. The data definitely backfills the
last 3 hours with my iPhone. It even uploads the data to clarity so that I
can look at it with my mac.
The (old) non-touchscreen Dexcom Receiver does NOT have the 3-hour data backfill capability.
The (new) touchscreen Dexcom Receiver DOES have the 3-hour data backfill capability.
Also note that the Tandem t:slim X2 with the Dexcom G5 integration update also DOES have the 3-hour data backfill capability as well as does all current versions of the Dexcom G5 mobile app on Smartphones.
Note that Data backfill is compatible with all Dexcom G5 Transmitters shipped since about January 2017 (ie - about a year now).
