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How satisfied are you with the overall customer service provided by T1D supply companies?
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Edgepark a difficult 3 rd party.
I am jealous of those who answered “very satisfied” or “satisfied”. Please share what T1D supply companies you use! I am currently using CCS Medical and just had to call them (yet again) yesterday because an order I had made that was supposed to ship back on Aug. 19th was still listed as having “Documentation in Process”. When I called to inquire about what documents were in process, the customer service rep said that they had been waiting for authorization from my doctor but that she could see that it had been received several days ago and that she would make sure it was “shipped out today”…sigh…it shouldn’t take continual phone calls from me to make sure that things are done. Then again, I understand that companies are short-staffed so I try to be patient but would love to know what companies you all are having success using!
I am also a customer of CCSMed and have experienced the same issues as you report. In 20 plus years I have had to use different supply companies, unfortunately the issues seem the same with each. It causes me to wonder if it is a medical supply company issue, an insurance company issue or (I think less likely) a physician office issue. I prefer to call and order when I need supplies rather than accepting an every three months order of pump and CGM supplies, I think I am the exception to the usual. . . .but it seems to make no sense to me to have boxes of unused supplies which leads to outdating and discarding. I personally have a hard time accepting such waste.
I get my Libre from the local cvs because it’s cheaper than my 90 day pharmacy; yes it’s a PIA to go every month but worth the cost savings. Pen needles come from Express Scripts.
I get everything at my Walmart pharmacy. The staff has been so supportive over the years. I get my insulin cartridges for InPen and also the yearly InPen. Get my Dexcom G7 also. Only thing I get from other vendor is pen needles. Diathrive is so inexpensive. 100 for $9
I give the messaging from the diabetes supplier that sends my Dexcom CGMs to be a little slow and clunky. Pump/CGM manufacturers help lines are fine. I do miss the old days in the early 2000s when I used to call Medtronic and 9 times out of 10 the person helping me would also be a T1D person wearing their pump so knew how to help without having to look it up on the computer.
Not sure… been with minimed 25+ years. Until lately the customer service was always excellent. Recently I have found a couple real dumb asses on the line and they sounded American. Now when I call I hope I get the call center in the Philippines. They are always very nice and helpful.
Byram has been driving me crazy. Previous order for dexcom g6 sensors took 30 days. And now getting close to 30 days again and of course I don’t get sensors for that time period.
This is an area where the system is set up to prevent you doing what’s best for you and your ability to manage this disease, namely maintaining backup supplies for outages and emergencies. So we all evolve ways of dodging the system in order to do that. BECAUSE IT’S A NECESSITY. Pretty easy for insulin, but DME is a little harder. As far as Dexcom is concerned I’ve done two things to ensure I have a few in reserve for emergencies. One is doing session “restarts.” Various tutorials how to do that online. I find the sensors often remain good for an additional 10 days or so, though the overtaping can get a little ugly. A few of those and you can sock away a couple from your order for emergencies. Also Dexcom is very generous with replacements for sensors that don’t go the full distance, or are painful at the insertion point. I think there’s a limit to how many per month, but basically if you have a problem, they’ll replace it. Adhesion failures are common in the last couple days of a session and if you ask for a replacement you can end up overlapping your next resupply order and end up with a couple in reserve that way.
I feel your pain. See my comment above re Byram.
I think I misunderstood the question. I get my Omnipods and Dexcom G7 sensors from CVS pharmacy. They do a good job. What I was thinking when I answered was customer service from Omnipod and Dexcom. I have always been very satisfied with the customer service at Omnipod. I started out hating the customer service at Dexcom, but it has improved greatly since I started with them. I would say satisfied on Dexcom
I misunderstood also. I am grateful my insurance allows direct orders from the pharmacy and Tandem.
Very much
“T1D supply companies” and “overall” covers too much ground for a single answer. I use two separate DME suppliers, three if you count insulin as DME (which Medicare does); four if you count Dexcom and Tandem themselves. I’ve had more hassles with some than with others. By and large the manufacturers themselves are the most responsive. At the opposite end, getting my insulin under DME from Walgreens was a monumental PITA, not least because Medicare seems designed to be as unhelpful as possible, including knowing their OWN rules and directives about this stuff. So “overall” I guess I’m marginally satisfied but that doesn’t reflect the dread I feel having to contact some of these entities when there are problems.
I answered “very satisfied” although it is not that there is never any glitches. For the most part, tho, I am well taken care of. I use Byram for my pump supplies and USmed takes care of my Dexcom needs. (I also am a Medicare participant.)
Satisfied with all supply items, except sensors limited to 30 qty. all other Medicare supplies are 90 days. Often Medicare requires I reuse CGM sensors or stop receiving BG values
The two companies I deal with have been doing OK until recently when I ran out of pump supplies due to some game one of them was playing. They accepted the order and then two weeks later I got an email saying the order was cancelled. Several phone calls later they stated they did not have insurance info. This has never been a problem in the past so I ask them to follow up on that . Then they changed and said that Joslin did not send chart notes and a prescription. Of course I then called Joslin and they stated they did not receive the request. Who to believe? So Joslin sends the required info and still no supplies. Calls to Byram Healthcare and they tell me that that they have the chart notes but the prescription, which was sent at the same time, was “blurry”. I again call Joslin and ask them to resend the prescription. I am down to my last Omnipod and I ask Byram to send my order overnight being that they had dropped the ball for over one month. That did not happen of course and my Omnipods finally arrived 4 days later.
Try Reliable Diabetes, service has been excellent for me
I get my supplies through my hospital medical pharmacy. They do a great job.
I said “neither satisfied or dissatisfied.” Sometimes it’s fine, I get my orders. Other times, not so. Recently, I got a message from Edgepark, stating, “There is a problem with the credit card provided for order payment.” I don’t use a credit card with them. My insurance picks up 100%. So, I’m on the phone with them to fix a “non problem” that they created.
But my biggest issue is that I can only get 32 inch tubing for my cannulas. I keep asking for 43 inch tubing, but they don’t carry it anymore. However, 43 inch tubing comes with other types of cannulas.
I had the same problem with them, even when it shows a 43 in for the site I use in their catalog. They would just randomly pick what they sent me, as most times it wasn’t even the correct brand for my pump sensor.
My last shipment of pump supplies was delayed for a month with my supplier and endo’s office each blaming each other for the delay. Who knows where the fault lies? I was required (by someone) to prove I still have T1D with a C-peptide test, which required me to wait for a lab appt and processing. Turned out that I still have T1D and still need the supplies-surprise! Each iteration of the process involved multiple phone transfers and hold times with my supplier because they have too few customer service agents and no capacity for online interactions. Is it any wonder that we try to hoard excess supplies?
I’ve been in that cycle numerous times in the past. What a waste of time.
The in network options for durable medical equipment suppliers are the third number one threat to my health.
I have type 1, I hate that some companies ask whether I still have it.
I’ve yet to hear of any spontaneous cures!
Or…we’re too old to “still” have it! I think some supply companies must have their employees trained by insurance claims dept employees.
I’ve been dealing with Edwards for my pump, CGM and glucose strips since 2016. They’re the ONLY supplier my primary and Medicare, my secondary agree on. Up until the pandemic I was a very satisfied customer. Since March, 2020 the complete chaos that has engulfed the company has created constant stress and total dissatisfaction with all aspects of my relationship with them.
Some companies are great. Others are questionable like Byram healthcare who I was with for years. All of a sudden Adam blew the drop us don’t even send a letter they don’t notify us until they say I’m sorry you’re not contracted with us anymore and that is frustrating. Coming from a type one who needs pump supplies and CGM supplies
A Little Satisfied:
If we are talking Edgepark
They are the worst company I’ve ever encountered. Horribly slow and incompetent. Customer service reps do not know what they are doin hand will blatantly lie to you to get you off the phone.
Byram is decent, they just have issues properly billing my secondary insurance and mislabel my primary insurance often on claim forms.
Since I no longer have to deal with EdgePark and their inability to send the correct insulin pump and sensor supplies; I’ve been extremely satisfied. Cannot recommend ADS – Advanced Diabetes Supplies – enough.
I’ve used Byram for years and haven’t had any issues. They must like my insurance. A friend of mine also uses Byram and has had nothing but hassles (different insurance).
I used Byram Health Supplies years ago, and could not get a correct order from them. They almost always sent the wrong number of supplies, and the wrong supplies. I complained constantly, and went up the chain of command. They still could not get it right. I finally dropped Byram and went to Edgepark. Edgepark is much better, but still has problems. They are the only two DME companies my secondary health insurance deals with. So, I’m stuck.
would be a super easy world if there was just one DME to need supplies from
The supply companies I deal with (CVS Caremark mail order and EdgePark) have provided good customer service. Some of their policies on refills are too restrictive and do not serve T1Ds well. However, some of these restrictions are due to US’s healthcare systems. Customer service, especially with Edgepark, has been excellent. There are mistakes, but all companies have issues.
Insulet who supply omnipod are excellent – difficult to find fault. Abbot who supply Libre2 are very good, but more limited opening hrs and slower delivery – so not quite as brilliant as Insulet who are open 24hrs and had a new pdm delivered to me within 4hrs.
I’m not clear on who you mean by T1D supply companies. Do you mean the manufacturer or the pharmacy/mail order supplier?
The T1D supply manufacturers, IE: pump/CGM/glucose meter manufacturers, have been pretty good to me. Recently, one company’s call center changed and I don’t like the new one as well as the previous. They’re not as knowledgeable.
The pharmacies I use (both local and mail order) have been good so far – – I got new insurance in March of this year.
I’m on Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Plan. Never a problem with the KP pharmacy mail service for insulin refills, syringes, lancets, or getting One Touch meters or strips. KP must have good relations with Byram which provides my Dexcom 6 supplies. Byram sends me emails reminding me when time to reorder. All i have to do is confirm promptly and stuff arrives on time. Same with all KP pharmacy refills. KP medical is non profit but all KP insurance plans, including various Medicare plans, are FOR PROFIT. Like all FOR PROFIT medical insurance companies they over charge Medicare and hope to privatize it. Then they’ll really be free to charge us more. See https://socialsecurityworks.org.