A couple of months ago we went on a month-to-month reorder in hopes that we could get the new pods sooner than a full 3 month reorder. The one box of pods that was shipped last month had a manufacture date of March 2013 on them. So they were STILL manufacturing the old pods as recently as March.
The other day I had to call for another shipment and our other two boxes arrived yesterday. This time the manufacture date on the pods was October 2012. Which confirms what we've all been guessing - they are simply trying to get rid of existing inventory before shipping new pods to existing users.
Not to beat a dead horse, I certainly understand this from a business and bottom-line perspective. Again, my only qualm with Insulet is the way they have handled their roll-out strategy and miscommunicated to their existing customers. Why not just be transparent? They'd still have some irate customers, but they would also probably cut down on many of the calls I'm guessing they have been getting on a daily basis.
While I would like to find someone at Insulet to push the issue with and advocate for my daughter to get the new pods ASAP, I have decided to just wait it out. We just started with Omnipod last September but were among the then-potential customers told that existing customers would get the new pods first.
While I firmly believe my daughter, who is only 4, would benefit from the new pods more so than many adults (smaller, lighter pods means they stay on better in the water, accounting for carbs in the IOB means less insulin stacking when she is bolused at day care for her morning snack and fewer hypos at lunchtime), who's to say what's fair? Would it be fair for us to get them before someone who's been podding for years? It definitely makes me wonder what their criteria are for the roll-out though...
I gave up and just order 3 months supply worth from Edgepark. My insurance will change in July and I want to stock up, just in case. I hate changing insurance, you never know what will be OK and what will be a No, No. Anyway, no new pods for me for the next months. :-(
I had an interesting email the other day...I was asking where I am on the LIST of people to get the new PDM...and the "manager" of something at insulet told me "theres no list". HUH? Then how the heck are they keeping track of who is getting the new system?
Are they pulling names out of a hat to decide who of us existing customers get it?
Aimee, When I called (and complained) to Insulet back in early April, I asked this same question: couldn't the little people, with way less 'real estate', be taken into consideration when figuring out who of their existing customers should transition first?
I asked if they have a schedule, so we could get some idea of when they were planning to transition all of us, their existing loyal customers. The CS rep said she did not have that information. (I got the impression we would be transitioned whenever their current supply of old pods ran out. From your post, this appears to be the case.)
I mean no offense to other adult OPodders, but we have been waiting for these smaller pods for our very small child since we were told they were "coming soon" almost THREE YEARS ago. (Our daughter began using the OP a week after her 4th birthday.)
The CS rep told that we would be transitioned "maybe by July" when we are due for our next 3 month shipment, Fingers crossed... for all of us.
I totally agree. I've been using OmniPod for about six years and I feel very strongly that children, especially small children, should have been issued the new pods along with the new users. I would gladly continue using the larger pods for an extended period of time to deplete the current supply so the little ones could have access as soon as possible. Who wouldn't?
I'm from Canada, and as far as I know there is no mention of the new pods even being approved by the Ministry of Health here yet (just a guess since Omnipod has only been available for us here in Jan of last year). I am definately not holding my breath for the new pods based on it's late arrival here. Since we are likely going to be using the older style for a while until everthing is approved, I'm personally glad to knowt they are still making the old ones for us folks lagging behind in diabetes technology.
I really hope your little ones can get the new ones quick though - it sure would have made sense to start there.
UPDATE: At 12:30 last night our PDM went haywire, screaming "PDM error" at me,prompting me to reset the date AND deactivate my daughter's pod. UGH! The good news is Insulet is overnighting us a new PDM, well not a new NEW PDM, but an old model new PDM - they can only issue like-for-like you know. Bummer! I was hoping this would be our "in" for the new pods.
This morning I called our local rep to see if he had any old PDMs we could get from him today, and he told me that the company JUST announced they are starting the transition for existing customers NEXT WEEK. He made it sound as though the only plan is to transition based on your next shipment of pods - not based on patient age or length of time on the product.
So we WERE on a month-to-month reorder plan but I love how Insulet snuck that second box of pods into my (what I thought was going to be) one-month reorder. Aaaargh! Now we're looking at August for the new system.
It looks like i'll get it... As far as the LIST..my point is there has to be a list out there somewhere of people that are coming up (or past) their re-order date. And another list of those of us that do not get our pods through insulet....
