Hi, I am from Australia and like most of us living with diabetes very interested in using CGM. I have recently completed a two week trial of the Dexcom G4 linked to my Animas Vibe pump and fell in love. The G5 has been released here a little while ago and I am sure you know about the three month life span it has. What I can't understand is if someone in the US can purchase a G4 or a G5 transmitter for a similar price lets say X USD and get supplied with TWO G5 transmitters to equal the six month warranty of the G4 then why when those of us in Aus/UK/wherever, like the US pay a similar price for the G4 and G5 lets say(taking into account exchange rates) Y AUD/GBP then why are we NOT getting the same deal and ONLY get a single G5 transmitter? If anyone has been given a VALID explanation as to why we appear to be discriminated against I would love to hear it. ANYONE?
Non-US Dexcom G5 Pricing
- Thread starter GlenJ
- Start Date
It's probably a deal made with the ins companies and Dexcom. Not to sure about the warranty though as it's valid from the date of purchase not the date of first use, so would question that.
I hope you also realise the G5 is not compatible with the vibe.
I hope you also realise the G5 is not compatible with the vibe.
From what has been explained to me regardless of where the money comes from(insurance/out of pocket) Dexcom receive $X and provide the two G5s so I don't see how a 'deal' would fit in. Here in Australia there is no insurance coverage for CGM so all money paid is out of pocket but I would expect to be getting the same deal as the US. If they want us to buy their product then they shouldn't discriminate because we are not in the US.
The reasoning for the two G5 transmitters to give the six month coverage by warranty is actually from the Dexcom web site so maybe there is somehow they can retrieve an activation date for a transmitter. That is a question for another day though IF they do start to provide two transmitters.
Oh I well and truly understand the G5 won't work with the Vibe and therefore why I am not interested at all in the new Animas pump to be released soon(ish, maybe?) as it will need to be compatible with a G5 or later. That is UNLESS Dexcom's pricing/supply policy changes.
TorqPenderloin
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 1,599
- Type of diabetes
- Type 1
- Treatment type
- Insulin
We can get into the complicated discussion about health insurance coverage here in the USA if you'd like. CGMs are either covered by a Pharmacy benefit or as "Durable Medical Equipment." Furthermore, insurance companies negotiate prices with companies like Dexcom to save money.
Even if you ignore that aspect of the equation, do you think it's easy and cheap to enter a new country as a medical device company? There are different laws, restrictions, and approvals all of which can be insanely expensive and time consuming.
Even if you ignore that, do you think it's cheap/easy to maintain support for those customers in other countries? Employees have to be trained on all of this information and staffed at different hours of the day due to things like time zones.
I guess it's slightly amusing to me that you'd assume you're being "Discriminated" against and especially with all of the (incorrect) assumptions you're making.
Even if you ignore that aspect of the equation, do you think it's easy and cheap to enter a new country as a medical device company? There are different laws, restrictions, and approvals all of which can be insanely expensive and time consuming.
Even if you ignore that, do you think it's cheap/easy to maintain support for those customers in other countries? Employees have to be trained on all of this information and staffed at different hours of the day due to things like time zones.
I guess it's slightly amusing to me that you'd assume you're being "Discriminated" against and especially with all of the (incorrect) assumptions you're making.
We all make assumptions based on the information we have to that point in time. Sometimes people stop looking / questioning and stick with assumption s that may be incorrect. Others continue asking questions from multiple people and multiple sources to confirm the information they have already gained and re-think things where necessary or to see if there is a perspective that they hadn't considered.
I have chatted on a couple of US based forums but you are the first person to mention that the insurance companies negotiate with companies. I take all comments into account, even the unnecessarily smug and condescending ones.
Not all my information or 'assumptions' as you call them is incorrect some has been sourced directly such as my email to Dexcom requesting them to explain the situation from their perspective.......or are you making assumptions about my assumptions, hmmm?
Thank you for your input.
I have chatted on a couple of US based forums but you are the first person to mention that the insurance companies negotiate with companies. I take all comments into account, even the unnecessarily smug and condescending ones.
Not all my information or 'assumptions' as you call them is incorrect some has been sourced directly such as my email to Dexcom requesting them to explain the situation from their perspective.......or are you making assumptions about my assumptions, hmmm?
Thank you for your input.
