I am still a month away from getting my G4 but, I have a question. Since the transmitter must be replaced every 6 months does anyone know the cost or is it just included with the original purchase? Doe insurance cover it with a copay?
It depends on your insurance. If your insurance paid for the first one, they most often will pay for subsequent ones. If you have a copay, it should be the same for subsequent ones.
Thanks. I have only had the 7+ since September and am addicted to it! After 45 years of T1 and being very brittle it has been a life saver. I do not have to pay for the first one because I started in September and the upgrade is free.
I do not think my husband is going to go for paying a copay every 6 months on top of the cost of the sensors.
I was thinking that, since it's such a fairly new device still, I'm worried that not all insurances will pay for that second battery. I'm thinking that they may see it as a second unit, and they only usually pay one instance of a unit per year. Both the battery & sensors for the G4 are a little more than double the price as the +7. Maybe it will become one of those things we we'd have to ask for an approval/appeal? Hopefully maybe someone has insight in to this?
I asked a Dexcom rep, how come they can't put two batteries as part of the kit? She had no answer for me. Although the product is great, the company is no better than anybody else, they just want to make a s**t load of money off of us.
-Yogi
Since you got the Gen4 as a 'free' upgrade, your insurance doesn't know about it. Your insurance covered the Seven+, which has a 1 year warranty for the Receiver and Transmitter. So technically, your insurance company may say they won't cover another CGMS until the warranty is out for the Seven+ (Sept 2013).
However, the Gen4 transmitter has warranty for only 6 months, although it is expected to last longer, possibly up to a year. If the Gen4 transmitter fails within the first 6 months, Dexcom should replace it at no cost.
You could check with Dexcom regarding your situation with the free upgrade. Ask them what would happen if your Gen4 dies after 6 months, but before Sept 2013.
Would they honor your original Seven+ warranty, and give you a new Gen4 transmitter ?
Or would they tell you to go back to using your Seven+ (still under warranty) ?
Or would they say you have to purchase new Gen4 transmitter, with your insurance (which they may not cover prior to Sept 2013) ?
Or ???
The estimated price for Gen4 transmitter is $500-600, but everyone's insurance has different contracted prices and co-pays. If your co-pay is 20%, you might expect approx $100 for your portion. I hope on average the Gen4 transmitter will last 8-12 months, but we'll have to wait a year to hear from folks what their experience is.
Thank you so much for your response. Thia is exactly what I am worried about. Need to get with my rep. My insurance are real sticklers. :-;
Thank ypu. I know it is a waiting game on the insurance. I hope and pray it lasts 1 year. Other wise my husband is going to go crazy on me.
MegaMinxX,
I checked the billing for what my insurance paid for on the transmitter, and it was about $1500+ Not sure if that was a contract rate or the full price. The sensors were about 750 a box (something like that). Not sure if they would honor an old 7+ warranty, since the seven+ is not compatible with G4. If you still have warranty on a Seven+ they would most likely only honor that, for a Seven+ part.
I think it's kinda scary, that a company would put out a product, and not be sure how long these batteries would last? Why can't they make these darn things rechargeable? Or extend the warranty? For what they are charging, it's the least they should do!!
-Yogi
Thanks, I am waiting for my rep to respond to me. I think what will be best for me is to wait until the warranty on my 7+ is up in September 2013 to get the G4. Have to see if it will still be free then. I hope so.
Is it possible the $1500 was for the Receiver + Transmitter ?
$750 also seems high for a box of 4 sensors. So they may be the 'list' prices.
But every insurance is different.
Now, do you know what the messed up part is? When I thought my dexcom was faulty, and I refused to give my credit card as security for an exchange, they said that I would be billed $200 for a new receiver! Huh???????? It's all a racket girl! Trust me.
-Yogi
Sorry you are experiencing such problems, but I think Edgepark is the one billing the above amounts. I've heard others report the same regarding Edgepark, which fortunately I don't have to deal with.
This looks like the $700 lab bills I get, that end up being $20-30 after the insurance provides the allowed cost, and I end up owing only $5.
I hope the adjusted amount for you after processing is much less. Otherwise. you might be better off going direct to Dexcom and getting their 'cash' price, w/o insurance or 3rd party companies like Edgepark.
Fortunately, I have met my deductible, so it is fully paid for by my insurance. However, be cause it's so expensive, I wind up waiting towards the end of the year to get one (until I meet my deductible).
-Yogi
it depends on your insurance. I recently updated my post that I have in regards to the dexcom. I'll have to pay over 3000 for it to begin a new one and about 460 a month for the sensors.
OMG!!! They don't have some kind of patient assistance program or something? That's like having no insurance at all @ those rates.
Its ridiculous on how much I have to pay up front. I wrote about it in the post I made. I emailed my rep to see if we can start over how much will it be.
I spoke with my rep and found out that since I got my 7+ in September everything will be covered under my old contract. My cost for a new transmitter will be around $35. I guess it all depends on your insurance.
When are they going to realize that paying for these thing in the long run saves them money?
Glad to hear that Mary! Well, I often wondered about that same thing when it comes to insurance. But, the problem really isn't the insurance company, it's the manufactures that set these outrageous prices for these technologies. Insurances are only business that are trying to take care of their customers without going broke in the process.
-Yogi
Please excuse me interrupting but I just saw your insurance claim and am staggered by the mark-up! I have to self-fund G4 in UK as it's not available on our NHS yet but paid the equivalent of under $2,000 for exactly the same as you have (except readings given in mmols).