Pump cost comparison for private funding

[maryhorn]

You can privately fund but have to be under the care of a consultant. AT will only do pump set up with a hospital team. Perhaps there was some confusion with the wording of your research. There's a private London clinic that allows you to purchase the pump and have care under them.

Could you send details please.
My son wants the pump but hospital won’t give saying he’s doing ok without and will only give to children.

 

[qvphil]

Hi, I am an old pumper for 10-12 years, many years ago. I now live and work in Qatar. Insulin pumps are only available through the public sector healthcare here to locals. Prices to acquire and maintain a pump privately are prohibitively expensive.

If I source one privately abroad, and fund consumables, there is a very good pump clinic in the public sector healthcare here who will manage and monitor me, I did this previously with my MiniMed 508 before it gave up the ghost.

Can anyone please give me up to date contact information for John Hughes, from Advanced Therapeutics, who I have been in contact with previously regarding a Dana Diabecare R or RS pump and consumables?

Regards,

Phil

 

[david4503]

What might prompt a GP to deny approval for a self-funded pump, assuming the patient is responsible and properly instructed on how to operate it? Once you subtract the cost issue, isn’t it simply a question of preference by the patient rather than meeting criteria for needing a pump?

 

[Cyndy_US]

Given some of the shenanigans and hoops required to obtain CCG funding for pumps, I thought I'd reach out to the pump companies and ask how much it would cost to purchase their various wares via private funding instead of CCG funding. The results are interesting, but not massively surprising, if you have read the NICE CSII tech appraisal.

Each pump can be split out into a one off cost for hardware and then monthly or quarterly costs for consumables. These tend to vary a little by person, so I have the modal values for plugging into a model. The details show the cost of the one-off investment, the monthly or quarterly cost, which will be specified and the annual consumable charge. I contacted Ypsomed, Roche, Medtronic and Animas. All prices are ex. VAT.

Roche - Accuchek Insight

Pump Kit + Meter: £2,495
Quarterly Consumables: £370
Annual Consumables Cost:£1,480

Total First Year Cost: £3,975

Medtronic - Minimed 640G

Pump kit: £2995
Monthly Consumables: £97.90
Annual Consumables Cost:£1,174.80

Total First Year Cost: £4,169.80

Note that Enlite CGM Sensors can also be purchased at a cost of £525 for 10 or £275 for 5.

Ypsomed - Omnipod

PDM Handset: £420
Monthly Consumables: £251.50
Annual Consumables Cost:£3,018

Total First Year Cost: £3,438

Note that it would be possible to replace the PDM by buying yourself a new one when the new, Dexcom integrated version becomes available some time in 2016.

Animas - Vibe

Pump Kit: £2,800
Monthly Consumables: £137
Annual Consumables Cost: £1,647.95

Total First Year Cost: £4,447.95

As can be seen from the numbers, there is a significant difference in cost between the least and most expensive options available. This should also provide help for people who are looking to find out the value of a pump for insurance purposes.

Stupid American here, is a pump and the supplies needed not covered by your universal healthcare?

 

[EllieM]

Stupid American here, is a pump and the supplies needed not covered by your universal healthcare?

Not a stupid question at all. My understanding (possibly incorrect because I left the UK in 1999) is that it's funded by the state if you can get your local health provider to prescribe it. Pump prescriptions are done by the health authority and not the GP, and different health authorities both have different pumps that they'll cover (which may or may not be the one that you want) and different hoops that you have to jump through before they will fund you.

Edited to add, just seen it's your first post. Welcome to the forums @Cyndy_US