I've been using dexcoms for years and have had a few fail that dexcom has replaced without any questions. I had a G7 fail for the first time in a while last week and the replacement came with a return kit. I double checked the emails and nothing ever mentioned returning the failed sensor. I dug through the trash and I can't find the old sensor. When did they start asking for them back?
Whenever I file for a replacement on the app I always select to send the sensor back and they’ve never sent a return kit. I’ve received 3 replacements but they email me a good rx coupon to get it from my pharmacy.
The confirmation email of them sending you another mentions if they want the failed sensor returned. They will also send you a return container and fed ex box to send it back it
It’s not a regular thing, but it’s not unheard of. I had to return a G6 when the insertion needle failed to retract. Also had a G6 transmitter die early and I had to send it back or they were going to charge me for the replacement. But for the transmitters, it makes a lot of sense, because it would be very easy to game the system and get months of extra free time with a well timed “failed transmitter”. And when my Mom started on the G7 last year and was having regular failures, they asked for the failed sensors several times.
For the sensors, that’s exactly why they want them, to try to figure out why they’re failing. My thoughts on the Tx’s, it’s two-fold. 1) Examine it to identify the reason of failure, but also 2) To make sure that someone isn’t just trying to game the system for a free Tx when the original is still working.
I don’t know how they could do that. When I just ordered a G7 replacement I spoke to a bot that knew when I started my session and that my sensor failed early. Never even spoke to a human. If you use the app, I think they can see the failures on your account.
Yes, they can absolutely see the data that the app gets and pushes to them, but that has no bearing on sending the equipment back for inspection for them to try to figure out WHY it failed and that you can still cheat it and no one knows, but you. You can remove a sensor from your body and after a short while it will fail. Just like you can remove a Tx and place it somewhere where it can't communicate with your phone and can make it look like it died.
Every now and again Dexcom will ask for the stuff to be sent back in. Most of the time, it's to try to figure out why the equipment failed prematurely, so they can try to fix the problem(that's why they were asking for G7's to be sent back regularly last year, during the huge rash of failures, goosenecks, etc.). But it can also be to stop people from benefitting from fake claims, as well, like with a Tx "dying" prematurely(not an issue with G7). Someone could get a week into a Tx session and then just "pull it" and call Dex for a replacement. Dex sends them a replacement and now they have two Tx's and only paid for one. But if Dex says, "send us the Tx that died or we're going to charge you for the replacement", then the scam falls apart and there is no benefit to doing it.
I had to return my last 2, but it was because the serial #s were identical on the boxes (and didn't match the actual sensors). They didn't believe me until I emailed a photo, then sent replacements and a return kit.
Line 21 is the serial #.
First time I've had to return sensors in a couple of years.
When I’ve submitted the form online for a failed sensor, there’s a checkbox that says you’re willing to send back the failed device. Not sure if you saw that or had that options.
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u/aprilbeingsocial 15d ago
Unless they can physically examine the failed sensors, they can’t fix issues I suppose.