Medtronic service: A++++

I lost my remote control device for my MCS. Stupid, I know. It happened.

So I called Medtronic to inquire about a replacement. Not sure which department to talk to, I wait for an operator. I tell the sob story, and give her the serial number on my ID card.

"We can give you a type of magnet that will turn it on and off."

"Yeah, but mine's on almost all the time anyway. I'd like to be able to increase the amplitude at night."

"Technially, it's a controlled item. You'd need a prescription for it. From there, a distributor and bill the insurance company and get you another one. When you get the prescription, call this lady at this extension."

So I call my neurosurgeon. They had no problem with sending out a prescription. "But you shouldn't need a script."

*grrr* I hate being told different things by different people. So I call the lady at the extension I was provided.

We go through three rounds of phone tag. I'd step out for a minute and miss a call *sigh*

But I did finally talk to her. She seems very nice and informative. She said she could probably get me a used one that was donated by other doctors. The Medtronic local rep might also have used ones. She said I could go through a distributor. But they wouldn't ship me a remote until the insurance paid them. Try finding out through the basic HR documents if they'd cover a replacement unit for a $36K surgery they already paid for.

Then she also said "You have a model 7425A, but a remote for a 7425 will work. It just goes through batteries faster."

"I never replaced the battery in my 7425A, and it takes 9 Volt batteries, so that's not going to be an issue for me."

So she's going to see what she can do and get back to me. She was even going to call the neurosurgeon to nix the script. And was going to figure out which idiot told me that in the first place.

If only every company had service like Medtronic.