Is it mandatory to upgrade your pump when the warranty expires?
Who would be mandating? When your warranty expires usually you won’t get a replacement pump but would have to get a new one. However, if your current pump is still funcitoning and you don’t want to upgrade, you should talk to your pump company about extending the warranty. I had an animas pump and when the warranty expired they had offered to extend coverage for a fee (I forget the terms specifically). As a poor student at the time I declined and continued using my pump after the warranty expired.
So, I can expect the pump company to call me to upgrade when it’s time? Will I need to pay the same price as the first one?
The primary consideration is the expiration of the warranty. If your pump breaks the day after the warranty expires you will be SOL, my friend, and you’ll have to buy a new pump anyway or return to multiple daily injections.
As Xanthasun suggests, you might talk the manufacturer into extending the warranty, for a price, but they’ll certainly pressure you to buy a new one. It’s simpler, easier to administer and more profitable for them to sell you a new pump rather than administer warranty extensions.
Unless you have insurance, expect to pay full price for a new pump with a new warranty.
Good luck,
Terry
I figured they would pressure me into buying another. Thanks for answering my question!
No it’s not mandatory. I actually used my Minimed pump out of warranty till the buttons stuck enough to make it incredibly annoying. Minimed will overnight you a 90 day loaner pump for malfunctioning out of warranty pumps but they do expect you to order a new one in that 90 day time frame.
I decided to go with Animas though so didn’t feel right asking Minimed for the loaner and ended up on shots for a few days while the ordering process went through.
The cost is the same as a new pump although usually you can trade in your old one for a significant discount off your copay.
Shortly after my warranty expired Minimed started calling and emailing me multiple times trying to sell me the Revel. I literally mean multiple times enough to where it made me mad they were being so aggressive with their sales tactics. I finally told them to stop and that I had already decided to go with Animas. This is new behavior on their part. They have never hounded me like they did this past year even when my first pump went out of warranty.
I am on a Cozmo pump and Animas offered me a deal for a “new” pump. My current pump had to still be under warranty in order to qualify for the deal. The deal depended on whether or not I go through your insurance company or if I pay for it out of pocket. If it is out of pocket and I do not go through the insurance company it is only $200.00. If I go through the insurance company it is more. I think it was $500 or $700.
The “new” pump would only have a 2 year warranty and it would be a new used one. What this means is the casing is used but the insides are new. Cheaper than a brand new pump.
It’s not mandatory (as others have said). And whether you choose to get a new pump depends on whether you have insurance to cover it, and whether there is a pump that has features you want, but don’t have on the old one.
I got a new pump in 2008, and saved my old one (which is not very different!), so now I have a spare, in case something happens to the one I’m using. I’m lucky, because I have good insurance, but who knows how long THAT’S going to last!
Pumps, being man-made machines, WILL fail eventually, and so having a warranty is a good thing, if you can swing it.
It is not mandatory.
As others have said it depends on your insurance, Medicare for one will not replace a pump until after 5 years, unless it breaks. Most of the pump companies will give you a loaner if your out of warranty pump breaks while you sort out the paperwork to get a new one.
Thank you Annbella,
My new Endo told me on my very first appt with him that he will also give me a loaner if mine breaks.