Knew this was coming
If there is one thing, we can count on its Medtronic being consistent. The company knows they are in a boatload of trouble with the Control IQ coming from Tandem. They know the way cool whiz bang 670G as way cool and whiz bang as it is isn’t getting much love from the insulin pump community. They also know it will be some time before any of their new whiz bang way cool systems get here. Bottom line they know their technology is quickly becoming inferior to the competition.
Therefore when you have a way cool whiz bang system that isn’t that great and nothing new coming for some time you do what you always do, diversion. Check this out from an email sent to healthcare professionals from Medtronic;
“At Medtronic, we are continually striving to provide the most cutting-edge technology to persons with diabetes to reduce the burden of the disease while also limiting their financial burden. Our future product pipeline will bring exciting innovations in the next few years and we want to be sure your patients can access our latest technology, regardless of their warranty date.
I’m happy to tell you about a new program aimed at giving future technology to patients who are considering buying a MiniMed™ 670G system now but do not want to be locked into this generation of hybrid closed loop system by virtue of a 4-year warranty.
For a limited time, patients who purchase the MiniMed™ 670G system will be eligible to enroll in the Next Tech Pathway program. The Next Tech Pathway program allows eligible patients the ability to upgrade to the next MiniMed™ system launching in the US for $0. “
As per usual a free offer from Medtronic is never really free as check out these snarky details of this so-called free offer at https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/nexttech. Notice that in the fine print it states the following;
“The Next Tech Pathway program (the “Program”) allows eligible, enrolled participants whose MiniMed™ 670G system order is shipped starting on 11/7/19 to be included. The last day to place an order is 4/1/20. This Program allows for an upgrade to our next MiniMed™ system at $0.”
Ok if we’ve got this correct according to the fine print it’s not the way cool whiz bang 670G that’s free, no its next way cool whiz bang system from Medtronic.
The fine print goes onto state;
“To be eligible for the Program, participants must purchase a MiniMed™ 670G system and meet one of the following requirements:
• New to Medtronic insulin pump therapy
• Upgrade from an out-of-warranty pump”
Now we aren’t sure how the phrase “participants must purchase a MiniMed™ 670G system” equals free but then again, we’re pretty old school so perhaps this is like the new math.
See with this offer Medtronic isn’t giving anything way for free, as any patient who switches systems that are out of warranty are entitled to a new system. Even worse if the patient is new to Medtronic but not yet out of warranty this move would cost them money, likely lots of money. But we aren’t done with the bad news yet not by a long shot.
First the patient has no clue when this so-called free new system will become available. Will it be a year from now, two years? Second while the patient patiently waits for this new way cool whiz bang system, they are stuck using the sensor that comes with the 670G. Yep that crappy sensor that everyone complains about.
Again we are little slow but what this means to us is that Medtronic gets paid by the patient’s insurance company for the purchase of the 670G, they collect all the supply revenue which includes the cost of their crappy sensor while the patient waits for a new way cool whiz bang system from the company. They have no idea when this new way cool whiz bang will get here or whether it will be as good as anything else that’s available when it gets here.
Given Medtronic’s track record for coming out with new technology that is already outdated and inferior to what everyone else has this new way cool whiz bang system might not be worth much. No wonder they are allowing patients to upgrade for free as if patients had to pay for what likely will be a sub-standard “new” system they would have a riot on their hands.
This whole so-called free offer is so damn Medtronic it makes us want to puke. This is nothing more than a desperate attempt to fend off the coming of the Control IQ which is going to clean Medtronic’s clock. As we noted previously the Control IQ will be vastly superior to the 670G plus it works with the Dexcom G6 sensor, which unlike the crappy Medtronic sensor, actually is reliable and delivers accurate readings.
Leave it Medtronic to once again, yes, we have seen this rodeo before, to play very fast and very loose with the truth. Only Medtronic with their convoluted, warped mindset would consider this a free offer. Only Medtronic would try to pull a fast one using the old Texas two-step to divert attention away from the fact that their way cool whiz bang 670G isn’t all that way cool whiz bang. In the great state of Texas there’s an old and very appropriate saying that describes Medtronic; “All hat and no cattle.”
Or as Momma Kliff used to say as only she could say it, You can spray all the perfume you want on bullshit but try as you might to get rid of the stench its still bullshit.
