To my surprise, I received a letter in the mail yesterday from Animas saying my warranty is up next month. I always thought it was a 5-year warranty, but it turns out the warranty lasts only 4 years.
My insurance will pay for 1 pump every 5 years, so I am left with two options: (1) use my existing pump for a year without the peace of mind of a warranty, or
(2) pay $7000+ for a new pump.
Option two is a bit hard to stomach, so I guess I will choose to live with an "out-of-warranty" pump for the next 12 months.
One silver lining is that Animas replaced my pump two years ago when its case cracked, so the pump I'm using is actually only two years old, not four.
Is anyone else in this situation? What did you do?
Interesting as I got mine saying it was out in April. Which I understood when I got it. But never thought about if insurance would allow it then or not. I am not even sure if I could cover the copay right now. Anyone here have them last for more than 4 years...if so how long?
I’ve had my Vibe replaced twice in one & a half years, and it turns out that when you get a replacement pump, it’s a refurbished one, not a new one! I couldn’t understand why the 4 year warranty didn’t start all over again with the replacement and that’s the reason I was given - it’s not a new pump. Bummer, that! I thought all pumps had a 4 year warranty, so I’m sorry to hear that your insurance pays for a pump only every 5 years?? Doesn’t make sense! (but I know how insurance co.s operate… )
I had a Disetronic pump (company no longer allowed in US… but it was top of the line back in the 90’s when I got it) and it STILL works! I’m on year 2.5 with my newest Animas and I keep the Disetronic as a back-up.
I believe the 4-year warranties are just that:(warranties) limited to 4 years merely for their insurance against malpractice suits. It is people’s lives we’re talking about.
However… since the pumps are exemplary manufactured electronic devices, if taken care of, they ‘should’ be operational for much longer. The companies simply don’t want the liability of being accused should someone suffer great harm from the improper dosage of insulin from an older pump.
MY question is: has Animas (or any of the other companies) programed into the computer a fail-safe that shuts it off after a certain time - in other words, will the newer pumps continue to work long after that 4-year date or is there an actual shut-down fail-safe?
My Disetronic did not have a fail-safe date, just a warning with a countdown of days and a one-time alarm at the point of the expiration in 2001.
I have been without insurance for two years and my warranty has been out about that long. Knock on wood I have not had a bit of trouble out of it! Mine is the Animas 2020
To your question - yes, unbelievably!!! There’s been discussion recently on UK Insulin Pumpers forum about the Accu Chek Combo, which does simply shut down after 4 years! There are pumpers here who experience delays with getting funding for when the warranty is up on their current pump, so if they’re on the Combo, they have to either beg Roche for a loaner pump for the interim (IF they’re sticking with the same co.) or go back on MDI. Crazy really, when these things would still work for a few extra weeks or months. And not sure what happens with Omnipods, the 4 year warranty doesn’t really make much sense with them (apart from the handset), I mean the pods are different every 3 days…?
My understanding is if your pump malfunctions sometime between year 4 and 5 that your insurance will typically pay for a new pump as the manufacturer’s warranty is only for 4 years. It may take some time and you might have to wait until the pump actually malfunctions before your insurance will replace it plus you might have to jump through some hoops such as preauthorization before it happens but I don’t think you’ll have to do without long term in the event of problems. Some insurances just won’t replace a pump in working order just because the manufacturer warranty is up.
I’m sure Animas has dealt with this before. I’d call them and ask what their policies are in situations like these. Do they have a loaner program if your pump malfunctions out of warranty?
As I understand it, if your pump malfunctions out of warranty, Animas will give you a loaner pump while the paperwork goes through. If you then decide on another manufactured they'll charge for the loaner. So ask about that.
The Animas 2020 pump will 'expire' in Dec 2015. There was a lot of discussion about this about a year ago, and I believe there was an FDA recall.
The Animas 2020 Insulin Pump also has a software limitation that will impact the ability of the pump to function past December 31, 2015. After this date, the pump will no linger deliver insulin and will generate a “Call Service Alarm.”
couldn't you then just set the date on the pump for a previous year? thereby tricking it so it doesn't know it is 2015? Its not like the pump keeps track of the date anyway, you have to reset it every time you change the battery.
There is an 'internal' clock, different than the user date/time setting.
Animas was replacing any in warranty pumps at the time of the discussions last year, and many users were pushing for them to also exchange "out of warranty" pumps since it was 'their' faulty design that would cause the failure.
Anyone that has a 2020 pump should contact Animas, if they were not previously notified of this.
I've been using my Animas2020 for the past 2 years without a warranty. Interestingly enough, about 9 months ago (perhaps even before then) I received a letter from Animas stating that come midnight on December 31st, 2015 my insulin pump would stop working. They attribute the automatic shut down to memory capacity, but my thoughts are that they don't like the idea of people using the same pump for an extended period of time, especially since they're such important devices and things tend to wear with usage. It was a bit frustrating getting that news, as when I first purchased the pump, that investment was made based on the knowledge that, warranty or not, if I took care of the pump, it would last me a very long time. Guess not. I had my first pump replaced 2 years in (through warranty), and am now still using the replacement 4 years later. As this pump has now cracked down the battery line (like the first one did), and the rubber key pad tore away (been using it this way for the past year since it was out of warranty), thankfully, my insurance is helping me get another one.
I would suggest that you attempt to go the year without the warranty. I was doing that with my son's Ping, especially since it had recently been replaced due to button issues. I could have spent the money for a new pump, and it would have been cover by my insurance, but why buy a new ping, when the Vibe should be coming ont soon??? Long story short. He went to the shore with some friends and wore his pump in the water. the pump flooded and was ruined. Through his Animas rep, got to a specific customer rep. One day on MDI, got a bridge pump while insurance paper work went through, Returned the bridge pump and the water logged pump and got a credit for the old pump, since they have to dispose of them. He now has a new Ping with the 4 year warranty, I am now debaring on wether to upgrade when the Vibe is released by the FDA, or keep the Ping the full 4 years and then buy a T-Slim
My pump warranty was up last August 2013. About a week before the warranty expired, my pump lens started getting condensation building up in it when I went swimming or had a shower. I called Animas and they sent me a new pump, because I still had one week of warranty left. Since I got a new pump, I haven't worried about it breaking down. I live in Ontario and the province pays for a new pump every five years. This August, I'll be eligible for a new pump, so it worked out really well for me. However, if I hadn't been fortunate enough to have my pump fail when it was still under warranty, I would have paid to have it repaired. We figured out that the lens protectors I was using-- Animas's own-- had pulled the putty out that seals the lens when I removed the lens protector. That's why I was getting water in it. My new pump came with a lens protector already on it and I've never removed it, even though it's a little yucky at one edge now. I won't risk removing the sealant around the lens again. Don't know what I'll do with my new pump. I don't like scratches on the lens, but I don't want to pull sealant off either with lens protectors. Maybe I'll keep it in a baby sock so it's not exposed to everything when it doesn't have a lens protector.
