Samantha Walsh
Samantha Walsh has lived with type 1 diabetes for over five years since 2017. After her T1D diagnosis, she was eager to give back to the diabetes community. She is the Community and Partner Manager for T1D Exchange and helps to manage the Online Community and recruit for the T1D Exchange Registry. Prior to T1D Exchange, Samantha fundraised at Joslin Diabetes Center. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelors degree in sociology and early childhood education.
Related Stories
30 Comments
How would you rate your customer service experience with your current DME (durable medical equipment) provider? Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Got switched to Byrum about a year or so ago. They are great about sending me a text and email about time to order. I’ve had no issues, they notify me in plenty of time so I still have a few items when the new shipment arrives.
I use the insulin pump company and pharmacy for my diabetes medical supplies. They have been keeping me happy.
I just use my local pharmacy and they are great!
I use Byram for Tandem pump supplies and Us Med for Dexcom supplies. They’re both just fine.
I currently use Edgepark, it varies, depending upon who I talk to. Recently, I got hooked up with a person whose command of the English language was poor. And, I was not successful. A few days later, I spoke with someone else, and was able to resolve an issue. Years ago, I used Byrum, and they almost never got my orders correct. Unfortunately, my health insurance only has Byrum and Edgepark as “participating provider,” so I don’t have other choices. I rated customer service as, “Fair.”
I use Medtronic/MiniMed directly and seem to receive good service from them. On the odd occasion when something goes awry, I normally get a favourable [favorable] outcome from directly contacting them.
I use different providers for pump supplies and for Dexcom supplies. They are normally great, but I have problems from time to time. I asked twice for my supplies to be delivered to where I was staying on vacation. Once, that happened and once they supplies were sent to my house. And I do get repeatedly pestered for the same order over and over even after I reply sometimes. But the orders have been sent with the correct contents and in a timely manner.
My Dexcom comes from express scripts mail delivery pharmacy and my OmniPod’s come from CVS pharmacy. I’m very surprised at how well Tricare covers both.
Customer service is friendly enough but their ordering system at Byram will not retain the correct address and phone number of my endocrinologist.
My insurance (Tricare) considers CGMs a medical equipment benefit rather than a pharmacy benefit, so I’m forced to use a mail order DME company. Previously under different insurance I could obtain CGM supplies as a pharmacy benefit at my local pharmacy, which was SO MUCH better. I’ve used Solara for the past year (part of Adapt Health) and they’ve repeatedly overbilled me and even double billed me. I’m now searching for a different better DME company who’s in-network with Tricare. Any recommendations ?
Reliable Respiratory is outstanding a welcome change from some of the national providers who routinely ignored re-supply guidelines resulting in running out of supplies. Reliable is the best.
I answered excellent which is true with one of my providers. The other I would rate poor.
My Dexcom G6 is handled via Wellstart Medical. An actual person used to call every 30 days to verify # sensors I’ve got left, any issues, etc. (apparently a Medicare requirement?); now its a robocall, if that (I’ve had to call them the last two times to generate my next order, like they don’t care). As Tricare for Life (secondary insurance) now provides G6 and G7 thru their pharmacy, and I go thru them for Novolog and other non-urgent scripts, I may transfer Dexcom orders as well.
DMS Diabetes Management & Supplies for 5 years and always reliable and getting Excellent. I Used Edgypark 1 time and it was so messed up I swore them off
I use Advanced Diabetes Supply (ADS) for DME and insulin because they’re the only insulin supplier I could find that is willing to bill insulin properly under Medicare Part B. They are usually fine but my 90-day supplies order falls between the cracks once in a while, which usually catches me by surprise when I notice I’m about to run out of something. There is no way to contact them to check on an order except by phone, which usually involves a long time on hold and then more delay to figure out what went wrong and fix it. I wish they had a website for tracking orders that didn’t require dealing with humans 🙂
Diabetes Supply and Equipment is fantastic. They can only do my Dexcom sensors. Diabetes Supply of the Midlands an Adapt health
I said very good but I know others that have not had the same experience with the same company.
Edgepark SUCKS.
Dexcom is good.
Byram is terrible.
Overall for both, fair.
Edgepark is terrible, as others said. I then switched to CCS Medical, which has been OK until recently. I’ve been trying since the end of December to change my next CGM order from Dexcom G6 to G7 and have been told four different stories by four different customer service reps. They ranged from “we faxed a prescription to your endo and he refused to sign” (which did not turn out to be true) to “we don’t need a new prescription from your endo because the old one was for “Dexcom sensors” and did not specify G6 or G7” (also not true). As of yesterday, my order for the G7s still said “documentation pending” on their patient portal so I called again and was told that the prescription they had on file had just expired the day before (on Jan. 31st) so they will contact my endo for a new one. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen but I spoke to a supervisor that time and he promised it would happen. My shipment is not scheduled until Feb 20th so I had started the process back in December just to be safe and I’m glad I did. We’ll see if they actually arrive after Feb. 20th…sigh….
I deal with Dexcom directly and they are fantastic. Always ready to send me a new sensor at no cost if I have a problem.
I wish I could deal with Dexcom directly but my insurance requires me to use a DME company.
The individuals Speak to on the phone are excellent, but I feel both of us are caught in giantic system. It’s controlled by Medicare( Health ins.) Also by electronic systems. Often this works well if all the pieces fit, if the Dr’s orders are OK, if the calendar fits with the rules, if there are no delivery delays. Then I get what I need on time. A few times they are late and a few times inexplicably they send me too many supplies.
I have been using Byram for Dexcom CGM and Tandem pump supplies with my Medicare Advantage plan coverage. Reorder and delivery service has been pretty good since I get a three month supply four times a year. When I need a Dexcom replacement for whatever sensor failure reason I just call Dexcom and they send a replacement. Have never had customer service order or delivery issues with Tandem pump supplies.
It was so bad I actually switched insurance and pay more now because it was so stressful. For the longest time, we were fine with Byram and then it was a nightmare. It took 30 days to get cgm supplies and nothing had changed. I thought that was bad and then after calling them almost every other day the next time it was 60 days and eventually, I just asked if they were going to fill the order and a person just told me no. So then had to go getting a new dme approved, which also took way too long.
I always hear about so many people having a terrible time with Edgepark, but I have used them for 5 years and have always had very good service.
In November I started using Byram for Dexcom CGM and Tandem pump supplies after a very difficult five years with Edwards. So far I’ve received a Dexcom shipment and Tandem pump supplies. The pump supply order arrived with half of the supplies missing. The shipping box wasn’t damaged, just the insulin cartridges and syringes not included. I immediately called and reported the error. It was just before New Years. I received th remainder of the order January 3rd. All I can hope is that service will be reliable with accurate billing.
Generally I’d say Tandem does an excellent job. There’s one exception to that rule, though: an Android phone operating system update (maybe it’s an IOS issue as well; I dunno) has rendered the t:connect mobile app incapable of delivering mobile boluses. This is aggravating as hell: It’s been 4 months now.
If Dante was writing Inferno today the first circle of hell would be a DME call center.
I use Edgepark and they are marvelous! Customer service is very, very professional and pleasant. Even with a tricky issue with a claim, they resolved the problem. Orders are generally effortless and arrive in 24-48 hours.