BY QUINN PHILLIPS | FEBRUARY 23, 2023
Dexcom G7 family of products (Photo courtesy of Dexcom)
Announced to the world last week with great fanfare in a Super Bowl commercial, the new Dexcom G7 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system includes several improvements over the previous model and will be covered for U.S. Medicare beneficiaries, according to an announcement from the company.
Dexcom’s previous CGM system, the G6, was launched in 2018 and was the first CGM system to be approved for use as part of an integrated system with other devices, such as insulin pumps, blood glucose meters, and other diabetes tools. It also did away with the need to calibrate the system using traditional (finger-stick) blood glucose tests, and the sensor had a slimmer profile than was seen before that time. Glucose readings on the G6 were taken automatically every five minutes, for up to 288 readings in a 24-hour period.
More advanced features in the Dexcom G7
Now, the Dexcom G7 offers even more advanced features, according to the latest announcement, while keeping the innovate features that debuted with the G6. The G7 features a 60% smaller sensor, which is touted as being easier to insert and wear. The sensor warms up in 30 minutes after being inserted, which Dexcom notes is the fastest warm-up time of any CGM system currently on the market. Once your sensor is at the end of its life — up to 10 days after you start using it — there is a 12-hour “grace period” during which it will continue to work, allowing you to replace it at a convenient time.
The G7 also features improved alert settings, giving you greater flexibility to customize alerts to fit your lifestyle and preferences. The receiver is smaller and has an easier-to-read display, and Dexcom’s mobile app has been redesigned and simplified.
Dexcom also notes that the G7 will be covered by Medicare for eligible beneficiaries with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This typically means people who use short-acting insulin — taken an mealtimes, or used in an insulin pump — to control their diabetes. You can find out more about Medicare coverage for the G7 on Dexcom’s website, or by talking to your health care provider.
“When we set out to design G7, our goal was simple: to make the most accurate, easy-to-use CGM available for as many people with diabetes as possible,” said Kevin Sayer — chairman, president, and CEO of Dexcom — in the company’s announcement. “The approval of Medicare coverage for G7 helps us deliver on that promise. Now Medicare patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes will have access to the newest CGM technology that offers the most reliable, simple way to help people manage their diabetes more confidently.”
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