I ordered a new ping on Friday. I was trying to wait for the Vibe, but couldn’t wait. I’m assuming I’ll be able to upgrade when the vibe finally comes out.
I believe you can upgrade for $99 through Animas when the Vibe comes out. People have told me that an advantage to getting the Ping and upgrading is that you can use your Ping remote with the Vibe (which won't come with one).
I've been waiting for the Vibe too, but may do the Ping and upgrade route.
If you're like me and on Medicare or Medicare Advantage insurance, we're SOL on that $99 upgrade thing. That's ALWAYS been true and still is...trust me...I ask EVERYONE from all the companies as I've been researching a replacement for my seriously out of warranty Ping.
I may opt to get a Dex G4 plus either a Ping or if I'm feeling really silly, a Tandem t:slim.
Let us know if you notice any changes/upgrades/deficiencies on the new one Meda-Kay
I'm on private insurance, but I'm glad you pointed out to others who may be reading that it doesn't apply to Medicare.
I'm on Medicare but my $99 upgrade from my 2-year old Ping to the Vibe when it comes out will have nothing to do with Medicare. I'll pay the $99 and Animas will trade my Ping for the Vibe. The Vibe warranty will pick up the balance of the Ping warranty period.
I do understand that if Medicare has paid for your Ping pump, they will not buy another pump for 5 years. That still doesn't prevent a Medicare retiree from upgrading to the Vibe with $99.
Badlands - I had heard the remote would NOT work with the Vibe, even if you have an old remote from your Ping. That is what the Animas rep told me a while ago, so maybe it has changed. But you may want to confirm (with Animas), depending on who you heard that from.
The $99 upgrade would be available to those with a Ping under warranty, but until Vibe is released, with details on the upgrade/trade-in, we won't know if there are other conditions. For example, they may require your remote to be included with the trade-in.
I think you're probably right about the Ping remote not working with the Vibe. I was told that info on one of the forums, but a quick Google search seems to contradict that.
It's a deal breaker according to ALL the Animas reps I've spoken with .
You'll be disappointed if that's your expectation
I spoke with someone from One Touch just last night about this. He said that the remote from the Ping will not work with the Vibe and to his knowledge, there are no plans for a remote with the Vibe.
I bought my ping almost 3 years ago... and they were promising the Vibe then... don't wait.
I think the "deal-breaker" you refer to has to do with having an out-of-warranty Ping or even possibly trying to upgrade a Ping that Medicare paid for. My Ping was paid for by private insurance before I went on Medicare. The $99 upgrade deal is predicated on trading in an in-warranty Ping. I will call Animas and check myself on this.
I'm not sure that I even want the Vibe. Animas's painfully slow introduction of the Vibe into the US market now makes moving to the Vibe seem more like a sideways move in technology rather than an upgrade.
Terry, I know you're considering the Vibe - or perhaps a different integrated system, but it sounds like we're in a similar situation in having acquired our Ping while on private insurance and now being on Medicare. Do you know if that means we are qualified for replacement after the 4 year warranty period or the 5 year Medicare interval? My Ping warranty will be up in January, so I'm going to call Animas and inquire later this year but I was wondering if you already knew the answer.
Unfortunately the introduction of new pumps is so slow that nothing seems like a technology upgrade. The current Medtronic pumps have added more CGM features, but the pumps look little different than my first Med-T pump almost ten years ago. The Vibe is ancient in technology time but I look forward to carrying one less device in my pocket and it will only cost $99 for the upgrade. I suspect that I might still use the Dex receiver a lot of the time. The TSlim is new and exciting, but not without problems, especially for Apidra users. The Snap has some good features, but right now is only available for use with Humalog. The Accuchek combo is a dinosaur in many ways, but many users really like it. I’m not interested in the Omnipod for many reasons, but it is definitely a unique concept and many users are absolutely sold on tubeless pumps. I think that it is unlikely that I will stay with Animas when my warranty is up in two years, but it depends what the choices are. I have heard some suggestions that the Vibe will be released as soon as next week, but some people in the know say that it is just the reps being over-excited and there is not much pre- knowledge of when the FDA will approve medical devices.
I know that when I was with Medtronic, they indicated that people on Medicare were ineligible for the Pathways upgrade program. Because I’m not yet on Medicare (2.5 years to go), I am not an expert on these issues. It is frustrating that Medicare will not cover CGMS, but I am optimistic that this policy will change within a few years.
I'm not sure of the answer to this, Zoe. Since we're new to Medicare, they really don't "know" we even have a pump. So if you tell them you don't currently have a pump then what is their policy for buying a pump for someone new to Medicare? I understand that Medicare does cover pumps for T1Ds, but everything I know, I've learned reading here and other places. I guess I really need to call Medicare and ask them the question.
My current supplement insurance policy will pay 80% of a new CGM once Medicare turns it down. If this policy has the same take on a pump, then even if Medicare were to turn it down, then the secondary supplement would step in and pay 80%.
It's like we constantly have to keep up with ever changing rules of the payers. It's a pain, but I'm grateful to have other payers to share the economic burden of diabetes. Some people have to pay it all out of pocket! Makes me feel like an ingrate.
Laddie - I like your summary of the current pump situation. I got my first pump in 1987 and the form factor is very similar to my Ping. It looks like a 1980s pager! Granted, the features, with the bolus calculators, correction calculators, and IOB computation make them better performers.
I remember in the late '80s doing IOB calculations with pencil and paper, sometimes with a sugar-starved brain! Things have improved but they look so much the same.
Like you, I have two years to go before I get a new pump. Maybe three years if I'm not understanding Medicare policy correctly. Real D-tech improvements, more than a custom color scheme, move so slowly. I guess I can wait for the next new thing!
I would assume if you were someone new to Medicare and first buying a pump you would definitely be on their 5 year system. It is just the fact that I got it before Medicare that makes me wonder. And Medicare at least in my case does know I have a pump as I've received supplies since I changed insurance (I started Medicare last November). I also get my insulin on Part B which is for insulin used in a pump.
I hate to possibly burst your CGM bubble, but I was told by my Anthem insurance that they couldn't cover something (at 80% for me too) if Medicare turned it down. I hope that doesn't apply for your CGM.
We do think alike Terry; we're both theorizing about something neither of us have a clue about! (I'll put it on here after I talk to Animas)
Yes, I think that we are on the same timetable. I rushed and bought my Ping in the fall of 2012 to give me the opportunity to buy one more pump before I get to Medicare in April, 2017. Although I hate the Ping menu system, it has been a very reliable pump for me. Once I learned to screw the reservoir cap on tightly (unlike Medtronic where they told you not to do it too tight), I have had no technical issues at all nor have I cracked the case as I regularly used to do with Medtronic. I liked my Medtronic pumps, but I am committed to Dexcom. Hopefully Medicare will cover CGMS by the time I get there, but I hope that my monthly cost on Medicare will be a lot less than what I am paying now and I can self-fund the sensors, if necessary.
Cool beans Terry!