Medtronic announcments September 18, 2020 Part 1 - 770g pump

Medtronic made two announcements today. One expected and one not expected.

  1. The expected announcement of sales of the 770g pump in the US. Medtronic has signaled that as early as November Medtronic will start shipping the 770 insulin pump. The 770 pump is approved for us with children as young as 2.

For those who do not know the 770g will connect to apple or android telephones to record and transmit blood sugar results.

It will not allow dosing from the attached cell telephone and it will have the same algorithm as the 670G…

The pump be the first step in a future more advanced upgrade. Which may be done using a software upgrade.

as part of the announcement, the 770g pump will no longer support the present Ascensia Diabetes, meter. in its place the 770g will support a roche’ meter.

A complete write up can be seen at this location

And now my disclaimer.

I am a Medtronic ambassador. My opinions are my own. They did not pay me to say nice things. OK, they sent me a shirt and a cup but even I am more expensive than that.

3 Likes

I’m starting the transition from Medtronic 670g to Dexcom and TSlim because I’m now on Medicare and as of September 2020, Medicare still doesn’t recognize the Medtronic sensor as a CGM, for which they will reimburse. It is fabulous that you will be able to see bg readings on phones and smart devices but come on that’s so 2018! What they absolutely need to work on is 1)accurate sensor that doesn’t need calibration 2) longer accurate sensor wear time 3) shorter warm up for sensor 4) better algorithm for Auto Mode 5) better temp target algorithm for exercise 6) integration with the smart insulin pen as a backup for pump users.

I’ve been on the 670 g for nearly 4 years and paying through the nose until I moved to Medicare for their Ascenscia Contour Test strips. Will the new Roche system be more affordable? Plus with Dexcom and FreeStyle there is NO calibration needed so why is Medtronic working with Roche meters? Will users still be forced to calibrate their sensors everyday?

That’s just a few off the top of my head. Sorry I’m just annoyed beyond belief because Medtronic has been promising that they are working on Medicare approval for all the time I’ve been using the 670g and now I have to change to a new sensor system and get a different pump that will shut off or suspend delivery when my bg goes low. I’ve been using Medtronic pump and sensors since 2008. I’m pretty disappointed that I have to change and disappointed in Medtronic overall.

Finger sticks are officially dead! Come on Medtronic, join the new decade please.

1 Like

I ditched Medtronic a few months ago.
It took me about a month to work out the kinks of the new system. Adjusting my basal rates and my carb ratio and sensitivity.
Turns out the tslim works better if you set your sensitivity very low. It was at 40 on my Medtronic but I have it at 25 for my tslim because it makes corrections more aggressively.

I’m happy with the tslim and the dexcom. I almost never calibrate it.
My a1c is the lowest it has ever been. 5.8.
The one thing I don’t like is the cartridges. You can’t see it like you can in Medtronic.
Otherwise I think you will like it.

1 Like

Hi.

Is my understanding correct that the sensor is not covered by Medicare with the 770G?

Do you know why?

Is there another pump by Medtronic coming out where the sensors are covered by Medicare?

And what is the status of the 670G and the sensors being covered by Medicare? This has been in process since July of 2019 for approval by the FDA.

Thankyou.

Actually the 770g and the 670g are the same sensor, as is the current announced plan for the 780g. The the difference in the tow systems is the transmitter.

As for média três coverage. No neither unit is covered by Medicare. However, the sensors are covered by a new hyper discount for medicare customers. While I do not know the complete details, I am told in most cases, the discount is better than the deductible cost of medicare.

Please call them for complete details. This is a brand new program just announced last Monday so perhaps wait until Monday and call them for complete details.

You asked why the sensors are not covered by medicare. The current sensors require calibration. The lack of calibration requirement is a precondition of Medicare for coverage.

And now my disclaimer.

I am a Medtronic ambassador. My opinions are my own. They did not pay me to say nice things. OK, they sent me a shirt and a cup but even I am more expensive than that..

PS: If you wish to look at the full press release regarding the medicare payment look at part 2 of this post

Good info.

Have you heard anything about the 670G Guardian 3 Sensor being approved by the FDA?

Ty

PS I read carefully the post you spoke of in your PS.

Hi Ryphil 2, I called Medicare about the discount you spoke of on the Medtronic Minimed Sensors and they told me that Medicare does not give “discounts” on anything and they do not have a list of insulin pumps nor sensors that are covered.

They said I need to check with my provider today on this query.

In the past my conversations with Medtronic on these sorts of topics has not been successful.

Since you are an ambassador of Medtronic would you be willing to check with Medtronic on this and perhaps post what you have discovered for the rest of us that this might be of value to?

It would be much appreciated.

Thankyou

1 Like

Sally - this is a recently announced medtronic program. Call the 800 number and they will steer you through the process.

Rick

Ps - I will fill in my disclaimer this evening.

My required disclaimer.

I am a Medtronic ambassador. My opinions are my own. They did not pay me to say nice things. OK, they sent me a shirt and a cup but even I am more expensive than that.

Medtronic today announced that people who use medtronic sensors and who do not have insurance support inducing Medicare. here is the announcement in its entirety:

*** Official statement**

We are thrilled to offer the CGM Access Discount for people who don’t have CGM insurance coverage, including those on Medicare and want to use the full Medtronic insulin pump system. Our hope is to help reduce the burden of cost when it comes to those who don’t have coverage, by offering CGM transmitters and sensors at a discounted rate. We’ll have a webpage and flyer for you to share soon and will post it once it’s ready. Until then, to verify eligibility, customers should call us at 800-646-4633 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm CT). Interested in a CGM transmitter and sensors, ext. 21629, interested in sensor reorders, ext. 21063 and interested in an insulin pump, ext. 21055.

My required disclaimer.

I am a Medtronic ambassador. My opinions are my own. They did not pay me to say nice things. OK, they sent me a shirt and a cup but even I am more expensive than that.

1 Like