@Laura11 - The G4 transmitter has a 6 month warranty and usually lasted at least 9 months. The G5 transmitter uses Bluetooth transmissions to update the smart phone, something the G4 did not do. So the form factor had to be increased to accommodate the larger battery and the warranty needed to be decreased to 3 months for the same reason.
Dexcom is now shipping 2 G5 transmitters (US) for an equivalent warranty situation to the G4. For these two transmitters they are only charging the price of 1 G4 transmitter. Unfortunately, Dexcom has hard-wired the life of the G5 transmitter to 3 months + 3 weeks.
@Laura11 - If you could exchange your unopened G5 for a G4, you would have the advantage of longer lasting transmitters to keep your overall CGM cost down when you lose coverage. I would then order another G4 transmitter exactly 6 months after receipt of the last one. The sensors are common to both the G4 and G5. Without the G5 you would lose the ability to display directly on an iPhone without a Dex receiver nearby.
Iâd calculate your estimated costs before planning to go with COBRA.
Itâs certainly better than going without insurance, but youâre talking about $500+/month premiums (and closer to $1000/month may not be out of the question).
EDIT- Plus, youâre still going to have to pay the out-of-pocket expenses your insurance normally wouldnât cover.
FYI everyone, I just got my âPair new transmitterâ screen on my iPhone. Exactly 14 days after my initial warning that my transmitter battery was running low.
Thanks for the update, Mike! If memory serves, this coming Sunday will be 14 days after my daughterâs initial warning regarding her G-5 transmitter. Fortunately, we have the next G-5 transmitter ready and waiting.
At least in the USA you get two transmitters (= 6 months life). In the UK the G5 transmitters are supplied as âsinglesâ each of which costs the same ÂŁ300 (US$450) as a G4 transmitter. Since the G4 transmitters would last 9 or so months, this makes the cost of the G5 systems three times that of the G4.
I talked to a rep for Advanced Therapeutics who are UK agents for Dexcom. He told me that Dexcom charge them the same for a single G5 as they did for a single G4, so this is a Dexcom policy decision.
Hi everyone. Iâm wondering if some of you might be able to answer couple of questions:
(1) does the 90+ day lifespan for the g5 transmitter begin from the first time you set up the transmitter, or when the transmitter is produced at the factory (sorry if this is a dumb question!)? (basically, I received the g5 about 3 months ago but it took me 3 weeks to get it up and running, so when did my countdown begin?)
(2) I havenât received the 22 day battery dying notification yet, but my dexcom numbers are not as spot on as they usually are â as in, even with normal calibrations, the past two sensors have not been very accurate. Realize this could be a sensor issue, but since Iâm coming up on my 3 months of use of the transmitter, figured Iâd ask about this tooâŚ
@Laura11 I hope you are aware now that under Obamacare, you canât be denied health insurance due to a pre-existing condition! Thatâs one of the huge benefits of this law. It could be expensive, but it will depend on your income, and you can choose a plan that is affordable for you. As a self-employed person with type 1, Iâm SO grateful for this. Good luck!
After ordering a G5 system, I was able to get ahold of my nephewâs used G4 receiver and an unused transmitter. So, the G5 is in storage until I use up all my G4 transmitters. Is there any limit to the length of time the G5 system can be stored? I could see me use these G4 materials for up to a year.
