Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
Related Stories
26 Comments
On average, how satisfied are you with the general customer service provided by T1D supply companies? Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I am satisfied with the manufacturers (Dexcom. Tandem, etc.) but not so much with the contract suppliers.
I signed up for a supplier a few years ago that I no longer use, they switched to a robocall method of confirming prescription renewals that would call me 5 times a day from different area codes. It was near impossible to talk to a real person to get removed from the stalker-like robocall service!
I work in customer service, and my experience has been better with diabetic supply companies than general run-of-the-mill companies. Most people are more than willing to resolve whatever the hold-up is. If there is a problem, it is almost always with insurance companies that the supply companies are powerless to do anything about.
Recently, I’ve had customer service representatives resolve issues with insurance by setting up a 3-way call on the spot to discuss and resolve the issue. I love this! Previously, it was like a game of hot potato as the blaming never seemed to end and I was stuck.
My biggest challenge was presented when I shifted from a health plan with my employer to Medicare. Medicare requires regular certifications from my Endocrinologist that I still have diabetes and that I’m using the insulin pump and CGM supplies I order, and Medicare is extremely strict about the specific wording of the documentation they require. My prior insurer did not require a similar process. Medicare’s requirements are unreasonable, especially given the senior population they serve. Getting your T1D supplies shouldn’t be more difficult as you get older, and especially not for artificial, bureaucratic reasons!
Don’t even get me started. I was always able to order directly through pump manufacturer before but new insurance only allows third party dme vendor for supplies now. Supply order went ok with existing pump. But, now that I’m out of warranty and ordering a new pump they have had that order since Jan 13th and have still not submitted to insurance or shipped! I’m critically low on current pump supplies because I thought it silly to reorder supplies for current pump if I would have new pump in a few weeks to a month. Now we are sitting 2 months later with nothing and having a huge problem! I hate that I’m stuck with these guys because my insurance dictates it!
I answered very dissatisfied, but in fact I find the persons answering calls at the supplier to be knowledgeable and helpful. I am dissatisfied with the company’s website and inability to do their job. I should not have to call customer service multiple times.
I answered other. I have always been very impressed with Omnipod. The people are great and you are hardly ever on hold waiting for someone to answer. I started on Dexcom right about the time G6 came out. I think it was the new product causing extra calls, but I would be on hold for 15 to 30 minutes every time I called. I tried the “call you back when it’s your turn once”. When it called me back, it said my wait time was 20 minutes, so I didn’t do that again. Consequently, I hated having to call Dexcom. It is not nearly so bad now.
I answered that I’m very satisfied only because I very seldom have to be in contact with anyone at my third-party supplier. Since they are in a competitive situation with other third-parties (unlike Medtronic or other manufacturers) they keep on top of things and take care of contacting my endo to ensure they have the correct Medicare-approved backup to what I need. When supplies need to be ordered I get a text message, then I mostly do everything on the website which works well for me.
When I switched to Medicare and had to switch DME supplier’s Byram was the only choice at the time. I had all my supply information in front of me when I called to place my first order, so I was feeling good. That lasted only 24 hours and went downhill from there. All of last year was a fight to get the correct pump supplies that ended with a Tandem rep. calling them and being hung up the same as I was, when they tried to explain that VariSoft sets are not discontinued & they needed to provide me with them. Much better costumer service being back with EdgePark. I haven’t had to refuse sites because I am down to one box and have no idea when my DME company will get me the correct ones.
Really should be a way to differentiate between suppliers. OmniPod is always super responsive and never fails to answer quickly, send a new pod for a failed one, or help me navigate insurance. Dexcom technical support is great, but billing and ordering are a mess with long wait times and no willingness to understand move paperwork to solve insurance issues. Fortunately/unfortunately I will know have to go through a supplier for my Dexcom supplies. (Solara?) Fingers crossed they are better at jumping through the insurance hoops than Dexcom was.
I receive my supplies through my HMO, Kaiser Mid Atlantic, and they have always been responsive and timely.
You forgot the option of “Satisfied” which is different than “Indifferent” as you had in the middle of your options. It is also better than “Somewhat Satisfied” and not as bad as “Somewhat Dissatisfied.” My answer is “Satisfied” and please make note of that.
I’m a die-hard Edgepark fan. They always take care of my problem or can answer my question with minimal effort on my part. Usually just one phone call. They’ve even saved me with a complimentary box of supplies here and there when my doctor’s office wasn’t responding to the paperwork they needed. They can’t do it all the time, but they will if you’re really in a bind. If I’m playing ring-around-the-rosey with medical crap, I always saved them as my last call if I can, because at least I’ll end the craziness with a positive experience.
I’ve only ever dealth with Medtronic/MiniMed since I’ve been using a pump in 1999 and can say that I’ve received nothing but courtesy and professionalism when I’ve had dealings with any of their representatives. So far, I’ve appreciated the advice and service that I’ve received from them. The one thing that I personally feel lets them down is that I can’t order my Guardian 3 Sensors through their eShop. This is PROBABLY due to the fact that I don’t have to pay for my diabetes-related supplies as it’s covered by our NHS (National Health Service) so they need to make sure that supplies are going to be paid for by my local hospital. A shame really as I can order anything else from their eShop without question.
I recently was switched from having Medicare as my primary. My husband’s new contractor has more than 100 employees so it dropped Medicare into secondary. GEHA as primary. I found when Medtronic was dealing with Medicare there were a lot of what seemed like redundant documentation that they needed, including visits to doc every 3 months, which I don’t need medically speaking. Now with the primary insurance change it’s been a nightmare with Medtronic getting my supply order out in a timely manner. Even though they put it in a priority/expedite status, I’m going to run out of infusion sets before I get the supply order. They already sent me 2 infusion sets as an emergency supply, but I had to pay $12.50 to have them overnight ship it. So frustrating. I know that with new insurance that they have to get authorization for all supplies from the new insurance. I just wish they had a better method of expediting this process for people who rely on life giving/saving medical supplies. It sucks! Done with my rant. 🙂
Disgusted. Edgepark gives us an issue every three months for the past 4 years for my son’s supplies. It is board line medical neglect and indifference.
Everything was great for me when I was able to get supplies directly from the manufacturer (Tandem and Dexcom). Then I turned 65 and went on Medicare plus Scan. Although getting my new pump and CGM when the old one expired was horrendous (months on end, many many people involved, a nightmare), getting pump supplies isn’t too bad with the supplier. But because of the Medicare regs for the CGM, it IS another nightmare. They only allow a 30 day supply of sensors, but 7 months have 31 days!!! By the time you add in holidays and whatever, you end up without supplies. I have for the past two months and was notified of my next shipment which will mean I am out of supplies for 3 to 5 days with shipping date. Of course I can finger prick but I use Control IQ with my Tandem pump and I am under MUCH better control with it. Finger pricks six times a day doesn’t cut it for my management, hence going to Control IQ. I am a T1 diabetic for 59 years and am thrilled with the technology. But Medicare needs to do the math and allow 90 day supplies and Dexcom needs to keep pushing for a longer lasting sensor. Something’s got to give.
I use Solara for DME through my husband’s insurance. I have been extremely unhappy with their customer service. In the past 2 years they have shorted me a box of Dexcom G6 sensors and denied it when I realized it. They also sent a Dexcom reorder to the wrong address and when I didn’t realize it right away, they pushed out the prescription one month because it took them 2 weeks to log the return ; I lost a month of supply. They blame all the errors on my insurance, but it’s been their fault. They NEVER return your call though sometimes you are forced to leave a message after waiting on hold. They do not take thorough notes. They will send you to a “supervisor” though it isn’t one. The list goes on and on. I will be so happy when I can get my supplies at a pharmacy.
I use EdgePark and answered “Very Satisfied”. Their website has a couple of minor challenges, but their customer service representatives are very responsive and friendly. Most of the challenges are insurance requirements like not being able to order even 3 days before the 90 days are up from the last order. I’ve received all my supplies very quickly since switching to a Tandem pump and using EdgePark.
Same issues with Medicare as has already been noted. Downright stupidity on the part of my Bose who implemented this program… or, was it intentional?! Follow the money…
Ditto E.H’s comments. When I turned 65 and went on a Medicare plan refilling Dexcom supplies became a nightmare. They only allow a 30 day supply of sensors. With shipping and reordering regulations I am often out of supplies for 3 to 5 days. I use a Tandem pump with Control IQ and when I am out of supplies my diabetes management suffers. This could be REMEDIED with a 90 day supply of sensors. Medicare needs to allow a 90 day supply. I’ve had T1D for 50 years and I expect a CGM will continue to be apart of my management. Hey Medicare are you listening to us?
Dexcom is a dismal, irritating experience (follow a script, patronizing almost). Understand they outsourced the ordering to another company; hopefully it’ll be better.
I chose “other”. Up until last October I had a supplier for my cartridges and infusion sets different from my supplier for CGM supplies. I put in a supply request for refill. I never received them. Didn’t get a call that there was an issue. I would call and the call would drop after holding for 15 or 20 minutes. Would leave a callback # and never received a call. I was done with them and went to my CGM supplier for everything. It took 3 months of MDI before I started receiving all my supplies from 1 supplier. Now I receive call and email and text when it is time for reorders. So far so good with new supplier. The customer service was excellent in helping me getting started with doctors office coordination. I’m ticked pink so far with DMS.
I feel like Dexcom has good products but everyone that works there seems to follow like a guideline I wish they were more a little more genuine and concerned for the customer
I’ve had very good experiences with CCS under Humana Medicare Advantage. They are now my source for both pump and CGM supplies. Other suppliers have not been great – Edgepark, Byram, etc. Dexcom was my CGM supplier last year – and that was a constant pain. I frequently had to get sensors through alternative means. Having been with Dexcom since 2006, I was sad to see their attitude towards customers descend to such a terrible state. I was happy to hear that they have given up the process of being a direct supplier, but I am still eagerly awaiting the Tandem/Libre combo, as I can no longer recommend Dexcom as a company. If my life matters so little to you…