My TslimX2 Tandem pump warranty was up in August and I ordered a NEW pump. It was delivered a couple weeks ago and is working fine. However, I just received a bill for the pump copay and I was stunned. I don’t pay copays for Durable Medical Equipment and the bill listed the item as “Refurb.” That means it is a “refurbished” pump - not a new pump. Does anyone have experience with a refurbished pump? Did you expect that? How long do they last? If I had been informed before I ordered the pump, I might have made a different decision. Or is this a Medicare low bidder issue for those of us over 65?
Medicare leases the pump for 13 months and then it becomes yours. All the pumps through Medicare are refurbished. I have never had any problems with any of the refurbished pumps that I got through Medicare… 2 Animas pumps and 2 Tandem pumps. The only difference from a brand new one that you pay for yourself is the warranty. Four year warranty for the new one versus five years for one through Medicare. And that is probably because Medicare does not want to have to pay for another pump any sooner.
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Thanks for responding, Willow4. I suspect that my 1st Tandem Tslim X2 from Medicare was also refurbished and I didn’t know it. I am more comfortable when all the info is is given up front. But the pump is working and that’s a good thing.
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If you have any pump and you send it back for repair, you receive a refurb pump as a replacement,So most people use a refurb pump at some point. They seem to be every bit as good.
I now have a mobi pump, which plainly has fewer things to go wrong, no screen, no charge port, one button that I never use.
So maybe I’ll go 4 years with no exchange but I’m not really counting on it.
My concern was misrepresentation because I thought I was ordering a new pump. Apparently, Medicare only supplies refurbished pumps with a 5 year warranty. I question what “refurbish” actually means and I wonder where these pumps come from. All is well now. Time will tell.
My brother has had the Tandem pump for 9 years. He’s always had Medicare. I think the Tandem pump is a good product, but he has had several replacements over the years. I had read on this forum that the replacements are all refurbished, si I’m familiar with that. This is the first I had heard that the initial pump is also refurbished. That’s what I like about this forum. There’s always info!
I also had a pump to fail during my warranty period last week. Tandem shipped a refurbished pump that is working fine. It had a more recent software version installed and I had to do the training for that. They only shipped the pump, no case, charger, cord, etc. But they extended the warrant by 4 years.
I was fortunate to have traveled out of the country a few months ago and that necessitated my requesting a prescription for backup pen supplies for Lantus and Novolog. Pump failed on Saturday and new pump received on Monday. My control on MDI was significantly worse.
I thought the first Tandem pump I received was new. But I don’t actually know. I have never done MDIs
If you paid full price it should be new.
I can’t agree more.