Medtronics InPen Scam

This is such bullshit. My endocrinologist recommended the InPen to me and I got one last year. The pen connects via Bluetooth to your phone, and there is an app that calculates how much insulin you need depending on your glucose reading. Medtronic’s website claims that the InPen is a “smart” insulin pen, but the intelligence is in the app. The app tracks injections and calculates dosages; all the pen does is communicate how much is actually injected. Since you can manually enter shots, there is really no need for the pen itself.

What is the scam? The pen’s battery only lasts one year, and the battery is non-rechargeable and cannot be replaced. WTF? It is a nice pen, made of what looks like anodized aluminum. The condition of my pen is pristine so why do I need to throw it away? I checked online and the retail price is $400-$500. Since I have insurance, I paid a small copay. I may get another one while I have insurance, but I can always use my old manual insulin pens and just log doses manually.