This could be my future, very soon. (In purple, of course.)
During a routine supply order call to Medtronic, I found out my warranty date is coming up quick on my lowly Paradigm. (I say lowly just because Medtronic has released 2-3 new models since I upgraded last time and my doctors all keep referencing features on the new shiny models, but then are sad when they realize I can’t help them with my care without these features. Bah!)
So I figured… I’m on the phone with them right now, might as well figure out what I can do with that pending warranty date.
I have two options:
1) Upgrade now and pay Medtronic’s early upgrade fee of $800. (!!!) Get said shiny new pump with bells, whistles (literally), and re-order brand new stinking sensors, which apparently don’t look like evil hummingbirds nor hurt like hell going in. (But – apparently, I can keep my transmitter.) No insurance prompting necessary. This is Medtronic’s gift to you. (Merry Xmas and crap.) My warranty date, however, stays the same. (Which I don’t understand…)
2) Wait three months and have the insurance pick up part of the tab… which would be 80% of a $5000 device. Hi – you do the math. Option 1 is much cheaper. Well, sort of. However, I guess Medtronic also has other payment credit options, blah blah blah.
Secret option 3: I do nothing and carry on with my old school device because I’m going to end up paying through the nose on either option. (Or blowing my entire allotted FSA for 2014 in one order.)
Decisions, decisions.
See Jen Dance 
I don’t understand either why the warranty date would stay the same….it’s a new pump, that should restart the warranty period…..right?
Unless he just meant I could do it before my warranty was up. I need to call them again.
F/U: Apparently not on this program. When I called back for clarification, the rep says he usually doesn’t recommend the Path2 program for those with less than 6 months left on their warranty. His justification? “Well, we’re essentially giving you a $5000 piece of equipment for $400.” (Cool… I love it when my health and well being is given a price tag.) So since the 530s aren’t getting shipped out until Feb/March, I’d basically get a brand new device without a warranty. So… Super expensive insurance it is.
Ugh. That just seems wrong! Why do they always have to stick it to those of us with chronic diseases? They DO realize that, with better equipment to help us control our sugars, we’ll generally have less complications and cost them less money overall, right?
Who knows…
This whole post has me confused. I wonder if the manufacturer designed it that way. Good luck, no matter what you decide.
Yeah – I don’t understand releasing a brand new device without a warranty either. But I guess it could be useful if you bought a new pump a month before they made the announcement of the new model. Otherwise – it doesn’t really make sense for me to upgrade with that program.
Yeah, I know I’m late to the conversation —
Medtronic won’t extend your warranty for anything. If your pump breaks two days before it’s up, and you get a replacement, that replacement is warrantied for two days. Not an uncommon practice, actually.
Some more “fine print” on the upgrade: $400 of that $800 is refundable, I think when you return the old pump. But, it doesn’t come with the Minilink transmitter or the Enlite inserter, so add those costs back. The whole package DOES include them.
At least that’s how I believe it works. I think I’m eligible for an upgrade in March, and I think I’m going to hold out until then before making the leap. I don’t want to risk being out-of-warranty for an extended period of time. (Although, to be honest, if you’re using an out-of-warranty pump and it gives you problems, I suspect they’d replace it rather than have you die. Just a guess).
And it gave me great pain (metaphorically) to order two boxes of death-sensors (Sofsensors) this evening…