Hi! New to the forum. Just started Dexcom CGMS and received supplies though Liberty which is an in-network 3rd party supplier for my insurance which is Anthem PPO. That was facilitated through our local Dexcom rep and Anthem. I pay $55 dollars per month out of pocket for 4 G5 sensors. That is pricey for me. I would like to compare prices with other 3rd party suppliers. Anthem bases search on geographical location when I called. For example, Liberty Medical does not even pop under under that system. They were limited in providing specific names of other competitors. I figure the bigger suppliers most likely would have negotiated the best price with Anthem. I need to narrow the search to maybe top FIVE 3rd party suppliers of diabetic supplies in order to find cheapest in network supplier. I figure some one with diabetes must have done this search before and can share if they get their sensors cheaper. Thank you!
Thereâs a good chance the reason youâre at liberty is because thatâs the company your insurance dictated. We use advanced diabetes supply and pay about $100 for a 3 month supply, but thatâs based on the 90/10 copay from our plan with UHC.
i use, adwdiabetes, for my supplies, i pay about $98 for a 2 month supply,.
Wow! How lucky you all are. I am on Medicare, which does not cover CGMS, so I pay $304 for 4 sensors each month and have done so for the last 2.5 years. That does not include the cost of transmitters and receivers. Canât live without it but the financial burden has certainly changed how I envisioned my retirement.
If we have to wait until Dexcom gets FDA approval to use CGMS for dosing in order for Medicare to consider covering it, it could be years before we see coverage.
webwiz, join us at DPAC as we are working hard to change the medicare stance on CGMâs.
Love to have your support.
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If thatâs the contracted copay with a provider your insurance contracts with, unfortunately itâs probably about as inexpensive as itâs going to get⌠Unless Dexcom themselves offer any copay reduction programs for low income patients⌠though Iâm not sure how much even that would actually help because $55/month is actually pretty far on the low end of the copay spectrum for something like thisâŚ
Wish I could be more help but thatâs kinda the reality of it. Iâm sure you know you can restart the sensors and stretch a significant amount of extra time out of them?
How long do you use each sensor for? I almost always use each sensor for at least two weeks and often get close to three weeks. I usually have better accuracy results the second week, so I would hate to discard my sensors after one week. If you can extend the life of your sensors, you should be able to reduce your costs significantly.
I will be on Medicare in a year and I feel your pain.
I am lucky to get 8 or 9 days out of a sensor. In 6 years of Dexcom use, I have gotten two weeks twice! Once the sensor gives crazy readings or ??? more than two or three times, I am afraid to continue as I live alone.
Any âtricksâ you use to get the extended wear?
I wish Dexcom, at the very least, had a patient assistance program, but they do not.
I rarely use my abdomen which I prefer to use for pump sites. I use the back of my arms and get better accuracy and longer life there than on the stomach. I would guess that only one out of ten sensors does not last two weeks for me.
I rarely get ??? and donât have any magic tricks to share with you.
Thanks. Iâll start using the backs of my arms to see if that helps. Meanwhile, youâll be in good shape for Medicare!
My daughter does the same thing: arms are reserved for Dexcom and everywhere else is pump territory. She keeps the sensor on with OpSite FlexiFix (with a window cut out for the sensor/transmitter. Lately weâve also tried GrifGrips âglued downâ with Mastisol.
Are you using the dexcom G4 or the G5, how do you get the receiver to use a sensor past the 7 day mark??
To extend a sensor, you just restart it as a new sensor. You can wait until it automatically ends for the first week or just Stop Sensor when it is convenient and then restart it.
Where are you getting them for $304 for 4 ??
My Dexcom sensors et al come directly from Dexcom.
@webwiz_tn, let it go crazy for a day or two. Mine does the same thing, a few odd readings, and a ??? or two, then it levels out and works better. Iâve kept using one up to 9 weeks, changed it due to what appeared to be a slight infection on my skin where the sensor was. It was also reading a little off at that time too, but would have kept going if it were not for the infection issue. I normally wear my 4 weeks on average now, mainly to keep infections from occurring again. Almost always there is a time in the 2nd week where it just gets odd for a day or two. Then works great afterwards. Stick it out for as long as you can handle it and see if you canât get at least two weeks or more out of yours.
I get my sensor through Byram. It is $60 for a box, but each box lasts usually about 2 monthsâŚso $30 a month in my mind. I use to pay much more when it was considered a DME, so I like the price.
That said, I worked as a 911 Dispatcher for 6 months for a Sheriffs Department, and the insurance through them was great. They covered all my insulin pump supplies and my CGMS at 100%. BUT, I was miserable doing the job. Wish I could have kept the insurance though. SighâŚ
I verified with my wife, we pay exactly what you pay and we also go through Liberty (Anthem BCBS is also our PPO.) My wife was saying that the Insurance has dictated itâs who we use and they are getting the best âpriceâ. If you choose another provider, more than likely youâll be paying a lot more because Anthem wonât be covering their part (which is 2/3 the cost.)
We are building up a supply for our son; however, by using each sensor for, at a minimum, two weeks.
Yep, $60 a box is a reasonably low price in light of what many others are paying per box.
D is simply more expensive than it needs to be, thanks to the greed of health insurersâŚ
Our most expensive item are the test strips. We pay $137 every 3 months for those (6 boxes - 600 quantity total for One Touch Ultra Test strips.) Our ultra-fine pen needles (for MDI shots) are $30 for 400. The lancets are cheapest for us at $6.00 for 400.