Hi… My name is Tim and my 10 year old daughter was diagnosed 1 year ago in November with type 1 diabeties. She has been a real trooper and dealt with it very well. She has counted her carbs with very little cheating and tested her bgs just like she is suppose to. Now we have passed all the requirements for a pump and we need the experts advise. Jamie is sure she dosn’t want the omnipod for some reason, I like the ones without the wireless remotes because she may lose it and it is just one more battery to replace. She is very active, plays softball, swims, jumps on the trampoline, etc, I am looking for a pump that is easy for a 10 year old girl, accurate, built to last, and cheap… not asking for to much am I ? Which ever pump she ends up with will depend on what BCBS will pay for and I hear that may be a fight. You would think they could figure out that better control equals better health which equals less hospital visits. Any and all opions are welcome, let us know the good and more important, the bad of each pump you have used and thanks for your feedback.
Hi
I’ve only had one, the paradigm minimed 722. BCBS paid for it with no trouble and I’m a type 2. I think it goes smooth with the insurance when your doctor is savvy in how he does the paper work. Back to a 10 year old. She will probably do well with whatever kind because they are the technology generation. I do know an 8 year old who got her pump last year and did very well learning to use it. I’ve knocked, dropped, etc and haven’t hurt mine yet. The battery last about 4 weeks, one AAA battery. I run the self test each time I change the battery. The paradigm is not cheap, but i doubt any are. So far though the supplies for it are paid for by the insurance. Good luck to you and your daughter
Thanks Gail, It looks like there are a lot of minimed users on this site and I am happy to hear BCBS paid for yours so easily. I have been looking at the minimed and like what I see so far.
Dear Tim and Daughter: I am also a pump user. I have a Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm 722. I love it, but I am sure that if I was shown other pumps and not just the one that insurance would pay for, I might have selected something different. My biggest problem with the pump is pulling the QuickSet out from my body. It gets caught when I adjust my blouse, etc. That makes it very expensive on the DME front. If you could find a pump with the least ways a child could pull them out, I would think that would be the best bet. Of course, you are limited by what your insurance company would cover; but make them show you alternatives. Good Luck! Lois La Rose
Hi Tim,
I think you will find that all pumps are accurate and built to last…and that none are cheap. Most people really like the pump they choose - and I think it may be more important to find pump support local to you, than the exact right features. Minimed has about 40% of the entire pump market share, which meas you will find a LOT of praise and complaints - simply because there are more of them out there.
Anyway I use a Minimed, it’s tough as nails. I work on cars and have gotten bruises by alying on it. I have fallen on it mountain biking and hit it so hard the belt clip shattered. I know minimed doesn’t claim to be waterproof, but I have dunked it 2 times in 2 years and, unless it’s cracked (this is a problem for all pumps, even the ones you see underwater in the fancy advertisements), it’s plenty waterproof.
All infusion systems can be militarized with extra dressings and prep systems availble, I only sweat off 2 infusion sets in 2 years, one was 3 days old and the jacuzzi melted the glue on the pad! Some children are allergic to the glue used so please pay attention to skin reations at the infusion site.
best of luck! and if you have any questions please feel free!
I’ve used minimed since I was a child. I love it. I did marching band, softball and everything with my minimed pump 
I am 26 now, and still using minimed. I wish you the best of luck.
My Minimed 722 is my third Minimed Pump - I started pumping at 19 years old (so not a child), but I have done lots of dance, baton twirling, and marching band (flags, so very athletic running/dancing) while on a Minimed with no problems. I use the Silhouette infusion set as it does not stick out from the body as far as a quickset does and does not snag on much. I use the Minimed CGMS now, too, and I like it, but I don’t know how much I would have liked it as a child - I do have a lot of issues with it sticking out and getting caught on things!
My insurance is BCBS through my dad, and they have paid for both the pumps I have had. I had the minimed first. It was a good pump. I personally had issues inserting the infusion set, but that was just my problem. But that did lead me to switch to the Omnipod. But with both companies we had no problem at all from our insurance. There is also a pump that a friend of mine loves. It’s the cozmo she loved it but she recently switched to the animas. There are options maybe seeing if you and your daughter could visit with reps, but I wouldnt ask their opinion of other companies besides their own cause they definitly believe they have the best product. The advise my doctor gave me was that they are all basically the same and it’s just your personal preference that matters. I wish you guys luck in making a choice!! If you have any questions let me know!
Hi Tim,
I just started using my Animas Ping in November, and as everyone else says, “I can’t belllieve I didn’t start using it a long time ago”.
I think the Ping is great. I change my set every 3 days and it doesn’t hurt if you use the auto injecter that’s included with the all in one sets. I use the 6mm cannula. The Ping is tough, and it comes with a remote/glucometer and it costs less than Minimed. My insurance, Priority Health, approved it immediately and I had it in less than a week.
I was dx when I was 9, a looong time ago. You should be very proud about her not cheating much.
Hello, I’m also a new member here and wanted to relate my experience. I’m 23, been on a minimed pump since I was 18. Recently my pump’s warranty expired and I had the option of swiching to another pump. I was very interested in the animas ping because it has some really cool features like setting a bolus from the meter and I also liked the screen. I chose to stick with minimed. They offer some of the BEST customer service I have experienced anywhere. The reps are always helpful and friendly and they treat you like a person. That alone was enough to make me stick with them. They always seem to come out with newer products first as well. I stayed because I know I won’t have to worry about getting help fastwhen I need it. I called on Dec 15 after deciding to go with them and wishfully mentioned that I’d like it to fall into '08’s calandar year since I’d already met my deductable. I had my 522 by Dec 22!! I know my opinion is a little biased and who’s to say that another company may not be as good? I just know that even with the cool features of the other pump, I wasn’t willing to risk giving up the service I get with minimed. (I also have BCBS)
I am a cozmo user and I love it, but I would look at the Animas Ping. It is waterproof and is built for rough and tumble if I remember correctly. A friend recently got it (former cozmo user) and she really likes it. She also really likes the size.
I also have BCBS–minimed is my plans preferred provider–so far no complaints–I am not a child, but fairly new (2 years) T1 diabeteic and had no problems getting the pump–now the CGMS was a different story–but I did win that fight–but it was a very brutal fight (just preparing ya if you decide to go there-although if it was not a necessity I amnont sure I would push for a child-nor an adult for that matter)
I got the Animas 2020 and Ping meter. It is my first pump and i love it. I’m not easy on hardware and within a month I had given it almost every kind of abuse imaginable. It survives to pump another day. I’m pretty sure most people like thier first pump and stick with brand loyalty. Unless something major happens, i will. Animas service and training rock too! I think any pump is probably better then MDIs. Before, i would not have given a bolus injection for an apple. Now, it’s an easy matter of pushing a couple of buttons on a remote meter and seconds later your bolus dose is delivered. I’m still not quite how to sleep with it, it just sort of floats around the bed with me. When i get up i just grab the tubing and pull. the pump slides out from somewhere under the covers.
Hey I have BCBS and they keep denying my CGMS - how did you get it covered?
Hi Tim
My advice is to go to the insulin pumpers forum and look at all the input there as well. There is so much there from a lot of people using pumps. I think it is really great that you are gathering so much iformation beforehand. Another excellent resource person is landileigh. She was a great help to me in deciding. Whatever you choose to use, you and your daughter sound really responsible . I think the decision to get a pump is a great idea and feel sure you will have no trouble at allwith it. I wish you both well and would love to hear how things go. Please come back and keep us updated. My best to you.
One thing that can help with insurance coverage is making sure the provider is aware if your child needs very small doses of insulin (like .25 of a unit) to fine-tune the insulin-to-carb ratio. Some pumps offer smaller increments than others. PS: I’ve had reps tell me this same argument can help you if you want to switch from one pump to another
Lots and lots of paperwork: Copies of FDA approval (not experoimental any longer0their main excuse), copy of log book with lows, rx’s for glucagon, copies of their own policy nationally (I know each is policy is different but this was their announced policy some time ago) lots of help from here and inslulin pumpers…appeal after appeal–I was down to the last appeal before legal action…which I told them I was more than willing to take.
I have uploaded a sanitized (took all my personall info out I hope) copy of my last appeal letter. and my files collected that I used in cobbling my appelas together.It may help you, it may not…but feel free to use what you can…
7851-Appeal_Documents.PDF (4.34 MB)
7852-RegenceGroupAdministratorsAppeal2Finalsanitized.doc (33 KB)
7853-ContinuousGlucosemonitorappeainfol2sanitzed.doc (54 KB)
you are WONDERFUL! If I could hug you I would
I’ve been paying out of my pocket for it since I work from home and no one is here to pull me off the floor if I pass out.
I hope it helps…
I have BCBS and they cover my pump, supplies, and approved me for a CGM. I was on a Minimed Paradigm 715 and am now using a Cozmo 1800. My CGM is the Freestyle Navigator and I had to go through the denial and appeal process, too. They finally approved me after I faxed in over 40 pages of blood sugar logs and could document that I go below 50 at least 6 times a month. With my pump, they covered my new Cozmo because my Minimed was out of warranty and I chose to make a switch to Cozmo.
This page about pumps on my BCBS’s website helped me figure out all of the guidelines they use to determine coverage eligibility. And I used this page to get coverage for my CGM. Having those in front of me when I dealt with the insurance people on the phone came in VERY handy. They knew I knew what I was talking about!