I currently am using the omnipod dash and before I was using the old omnipod until this year when they did an upgrade.
I’m kind of not liking the new dash pods so am thinking of switching to the t slim X2.
However I’m hitting block has I called the company who makes the tslim and they said I couldn’t do it because of a contract with the omnipod however I never sign a contract nor agreed with a contract.
When I started this I started with a Walgreens pharmacy over in Atlanta and they provide my pods so I guess my question is they’re actually a contract with omnipod do I have to wait for another three years since I’ve started on the original about 1 1/2 to 2 years ago or 5 because they upgraded me?
1 Like
You’re definitely under contract and warranty. Medicare has a 5 year warranty, you cannot change, upgrade or opt out of the warranty until it expires.
1 Like
Yep, you have to wait until the Medicare-proscribed time has expired from the date of the purchase of your Omnipod system. It’s not a “contract” that you signed; it’s to do with Medicare rules. Doesn’t matter if the pump was purchased with private insurance instead of medicare, either. It is a 5 year period, regardless. Non-Medicare warranties generally run 1 year less, so if you had private insurance, you would wait only 4 years to switch models/brands, but Medicare tacks on an extra year.
1 Like
I know the PDM is a lot different, but in what way are the pods different?
1 Like
Shapes about the same but the problem I have been having is increased outright failure rate as well as increasing incidence of insulin leaking around the cannula and under the pod.
1 Like
So five years from the first omnipod not counting the upgrade to the Dash which was done because my pod provider (which is a pharmacy and not omnipod themselves) switched everyone over from the old pods?
2 Likes
k thanks.
1 Like
I have a Tandem pump that is still under warranty although it was purchased a few months before I went on Medicare. I get my pump supplies and insulin through Part B of Medicare. Earlier this summer I decided that I wanted to try the Omnipod in order to try Looping. Because Omnipod is covered by Basic Medicare under Part D pharmacy benefits, I did not have any warranty issues switching to pods. Obviously I can’t speak to your situation but if your pods are going to be covered under pharmacy, it seems to me that you are not bound by Part B DME issues and should be able to get a Tandem pump. But for sure I am not an expert on this. I ended up hating pods and am happily back on my Tandem pump.
Well I might be able to get it after all. Spoke with Tandem as I get the omnipod via my prescription coverage so they said I might actually qualify then for their pump.
I should hear back in about 3 to 5 days to know for sure.
1 Like
I recently spoke with a rep. from Omni pod and she told me there is no contract issue because of part D coverage (as opposed to part B). But be aware, if you switch to Tandem (or Medtronic) and get it covered under part B durable medical equipment coverage, you will be locked in for 5 years, to the best of my understanding.
1 Like
Yes I am aware of that but thank you for the reminder.
As for Medtronic they are not on the table at all as the pump from them I might be interested in is still in the process of getting medicare coverage so going with the tslim x2 if they approve it.
It has some really nice features after all such as linking to the dexcom I will be using once they upgrade me to the g6 next month will be helpful.
Not sure which infusion sets I will use but leaning towards steel ones unless the other plastic or whatever ones they have are less likely to kink up, leak insulin and or come out all of which the omnipods cannula has done at times.
That’s not to say the pods are bad of course as they do the job pretty well but I am finding it frustrating at times when they have those issues especially when its back to back failure.