[Patrick]

The pump is in my future, and the barrier now is just cash outlay. The local rep told me "we just want you to have the pump, for your health and will let you pay it off without interest". This was encouraging.

I looked at the contract and there is a $5 charge tacked on for each and evey payment made! Over and above the cost of the pump; it's not "interest" it's a "service fee". Each month they want me to pay a fee to cash my check.

Is it typical? It is a deceptive practice.

[spike]

Originally Posted by Patrick

The pump is in my future, and the barrier now is just cash outlay. The local rep told me "we just want you to have the pump, for your health and will let you pay it off without interest". This was encouraging.

I looked at the contract and there is a $5 charge tacked on for each and evey payment made! Over and above the cost of the pump; it's not "interest" it's a "service fee". Each month they want me to pay a fee to cash my check.

Is it typical? It is a deceptive practice.

$60 a year in FEES to let you afford a pump? Sounds like a deal if you value your health like I do mine. Isn't that just a bit more than one month of internet service? Count yourself lucky, IMO.

[lelggren]

Originally Posted by Patrick

The pump is in my future, and the barrier now is just cash outlay. The local rep told me "we just want you to have the pump, for your health and will let you pay it off without interest". This was encouraging.

I looked at the contract and there is a $5 charge tacked on for each and evey payment made! Over and above the cost of the pump; it's not "interest" it's a "service fee". Each month they want me to pay a fee to cash my check.

Is it typical? It is a deceptive practice.

Yes, that is what they do. They didn't tell me that there was this fee every month. They have just always tacked it on....When I set up my payment plan with them, they just told me $83/ month.....I think that it is a deceptive thing that they do that, but I pay it because I love my pump. Just make sure you keep asking minimed questions, and more questions.

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by spike

$60 a year in FEES to let you afford a pump? Sounds like a deal if you value your health like I do mine. Isn't that just a bit more than one month of internet service? Count yourself lucky, IMO.

$60? More like hundreds.

Would you like it if someone said it was free and then charged you? I place a high value on honesty and trustworthiness; neither has anything to do with my health.

[spike]

Originally Posted by Patrick

$60? More like hundreds.

Would you like it if someone said it was free and then charged you? I place a high value on honesty and trustworthiness; neither has anything to do with my health.

I'm not following your math: YOU said there was a $5 fee, and you also said you paid each month. HOW is that not $60 a year in fees?

[notme]

Patrick. I understand your frustration. I would not like being told that they were going to do this for free and then charge you sixty dollars per year. However, they are trusting you with their $6,000.00 or more pump. Not that you would do this, but what is to stop you from taking off with their pump and not paying. I agree that you should have been told, but it is in the contract you read and you had the option of not signing. I guess that sixty bucks a year is cheap insurance.

[archimeech]

Don't do it. Run away, kicking and screaming. Animas will let you make $50 payments monthly for your pump without charging any interest and not a penny in "service charges"

[notme]

Here we go again! Animas vs MiniMed vs Deltec..... sheesh

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by spike

I'm not following your math: YOU said there was a $5 fee, and you also said you paid each month. HOW is that not $60 a year in fees?

Spike we are both correct, my frustration is the total outlay and the misrepresentation.

Referencing the insurance point from Notme, if I received something in return for the fee (insurance would be nice) it would be one thing, but it's not. An informed consumer is supposed to make choices on what agreement is voiced by the company, in this case the company sales rep.

Deceptive Trade is offering one thing and substituting another. I'm not a lawyer, but to quote the Feds:

The Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act provides that a person or business has engaged in an illegal deceptive trade practice when the business or person does any of the following things:

Advertises goods or services with no intent to sell them as advertised.

Makes false or misleading statements of fact concerning the reasons for or the existence of price reduction.

Engages in any other conduct which similarly creates a likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding.

[spike]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Spike we are both correct, my frustration is the total outlay and the misrepresentation.

Referencing the insurance point from Notme, if I received something in return for the fee (insurance would be nice) it would be one thing, but it's not. An informed consumer is supposed to make choices on what agreement is voiced by the company, in this case the company sales rep.

Deceptive Trade is offering one thing and substituting another. I'm not a lawyer, but to quote the Feds:

The Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act provides that a person or business has engaged in an illegal deceptive trade practice when the business or person does any of the following things:

Advertises goods or services with no intent to sell them as advertised.

Makes false or misleading statements of fact concerning the reasons for or the existence of price reduction.

Engages in any other conduct which similarly creates a likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding.

ok.

The last sentence could apply to all cell phone providers! and Comcast...Sprint, AT&T... I could go on...you get the idea.

[lelggren]

Originally Posted by notme

Here we go again! Animas vs MiniMed vs Deltec..... sheesh

It is my hope that we, as users of insulin pumps, can all one day unite and just celebrate the fact that we are all pumpers! Despite which pump! *shaking hands and singing pretty songs* (Sorry, I'm in the strangest mood today....lol I think that I didn't sleep much last night.... )

[Dewey]

Originally Posted by lelggren

It is my hope that we, as users of insulin pumps, can all one day unite and just celebrate the fact that we are all pumpers! Despite which pump! *shaking hands and singing pretty songs* (Sorry, I'm in the strangest mood today....lol I think that I didn't sleep much last night.... )

I agree with you 100% Laura. Having the ability to get a pump is a heck of alot better than not being able to.

On the rest, I don't think that Meech is trying to start a pump war, but it's good for Patrick to have the good, bad & ugly about All pumps & companies so that he can make an informed decision. Almost every one of us has had billing problems of some sort with Medtronic, so it's important that Patrick know the truth.

[am1977]

I do think that's deceptive, Patrick. MM should make their customers aware of these fees right up front...and not claim that there's no interest or whatever it is that they brag about. However, you need to make the decision of whether or not the pump is worth those expenses. Quite honestly, the pump isn't for everyone...you want to make sure you do some research and seek out info before you take the plunge.

Good luck with your decision

[Patrick]

Are Paradine Minimed pumps only available direct from Medtronic?

[spike]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Are Paradine Minimed pumps only available direct from Medtronic?

Back in 1996 I got my pump from an outfit back east, but I can't remember their name. They were SO nice; they sent me out a bunch of extras that don't normally come with the pump. I don't know if anyone now carries MM but MM itself...