Guidelines For Buying And Using Diabetes Supplies
Diabetes is a lifelong condition. Because it is, you can have major health problems if you don't keep blood glucose under control. That's why fully understanding how to buy and properly use diabetes testing supplies as well as diabetes medications is so important. Learning to regularly test your blood glucose level with a glucose monitor and to take diabetes medications when you are supposed to will make living with the condition much easier. With a little practice, you can self-manage diabetes just as you manage other aspects of your life. When you do, your quality of life and ability to be active and do the things you want to do will greatly improve. Home blood sugar (glucose) testing is an essential part of controlling your blood sugar and self-managing diabetes. Your diabetes educator can guide you in terms of how often to check your blood glucose and how to do it properly. Make sure the diabetes educator watches you use the glucose meter several times. That way, you can be sure you're doing it correctly. At a minimum, you'll be checking your blood sugar every morning before you eat. It's also advisable to check it before lunch and dinner and at bedtime. Your doctor may also ask that you test your blood one hour after eating. Blood glucose levels checked with blood taken from the fingertips will show important changes faster than glucose levels checked with blood taken from other sites on the body. The usual way to check blood sugar levels is by: Pricking the fingertip with a lancing tool -- a small, sharp needle Putting the blood drop on a test strip Placing the test strip into a glucose meter Reading the blood glucose level displayed on the meter If you take insulin, you might change the dose, depending on the reading. Checking blood glucose frequently allows you Continue reading >>
Diabetes Programs And Supplies
For diabetic patients who need financial assistance with supplies and related health care items and services, the following programs may be of help. Please note that applications must be submitted to the programs and not to PPA® . Categories Insulin Access Programs Blink Health is working with Eli Lilly and Company to offer a 40 percent discount on Lilly insulins. The Blink Health Insulin Patient Access Program delivers the 40 percent discount directly to patients and will be honored at over 67,000 local pharmacies nationwide. Anyone can participate in the Blink Health Insulin Patient Access Program via the Blink Health mobile app (available for iOS & Android) or website, www.blinkhealth.com, which has no membership fees or monthly premiums. Patients enter the form, dosage and quantity of the Lilly insulin that matches their prescription. The discount will be automatically applied. Payments are made online and the prescriptions can be picked up at virtually any U.S. pharmacy, including: Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy, Target, RiteAid, Safeway and Kroger. People using federal government programs are not eligible. Purchases are fully refundable. Assistance: Insulin Free Glucose Meters Abbott Diabetes Care provides free blood glucose monitoring system kits to those with diabetes. Abbott Diabetes Care, Inc. 1360 South Loop Road Alameda, CA 94502 USA Tel: 888-522-5226 Fax: 202-337-8314 Email: [email protected] Assistance: Free Glucose Meters Test Strips Roche Diagnostics, the maker of ACCU-CHEK® Products provides a limited supply of ACCU-CHEK Aviva test strips to a network of community clinics and health centers throughout the U.S. to distribute to their low-income and uninsured patients with diabetes. Roache Diagnostics Corporation 9115 Hague Road Indianapolis, IN 46250 Phone: 800 Continue reading >>
Does Medicare Cover My Diabetic Testing Supplies?
The simple answer is that yes, Medicare does cover some diabetic supplies. Medicare covers diabetic testing supplies, such as: Glucose Test Strips Blood Sugar Testing Monitors Lancets Glucose Solution Avoid the Most Common Pitfalls When Buying Diabetic Supplies Many people who are new to Medicare and/or diabetes care do not realize that in order for diabetic supplies to be covered by Medicare, a prescription is required from your doctor. If you buy diabetic supplies over-the-counter without a prescription, you have to pay full price. In addition, you should purchase your diabetic supplies at the pharmacy counter (as opposed to the general retail counter) because the pharmacy has the ability to process the claim with Medicare. Also, keep in mind that Medicare will not pay for supplies if you go to a pharmacy that is not enrolled in Medicare. The Most Complete Insurance Coverage: Medigap Plan F To ensure that your insurance covers the cost of diabetic supplies, such as diabetic meters, lancets, and test strips, we recommend enrolling in excellent health insurance coverage, which includes: Medicare A & B A good Medicare Part D plan & Medicare supplement Plan F You can protect yourself from against high out-of-pocket costs by enrolling in a full coverage Medicare supplement plan, such as the Medigap Plan F policy, which covers 100% of Medicare Part B’s excess charges. It is the most comprehensive Medicare supplement plan because it covers ALL the gaps left by Medicare A & B. Without a Medicare supplement Plan F, you will most likely be responsible for the Part B deductible ($183 deductible in 2018) and any required coinsurance or copays. You should not be required to pay any out-of-pocket costs if you have Medicare A & B, Medicare Part D, and Medigap Plan F. How to Minimi Continue reading >>
What Do You Think Of Sites Like Cashfordiabetics.com That Buy Test Strips?
I know its been going on for a while now, but I only happened upon one of these sites just recently. They say its 100% legal and they do it for a good cause (to help poor diabetics afford test strips and whatnot), but to me, it sounds sleazy! Especially after I read this post at Diabetes Mine, Going Undercover to Investigate Selling Test Strips for Cash. Heres a quote from the post: It is not illegal for companies to buy and sell test strips like this although the companies are required to register with the FDA and many fail to do so yet this transaction still felt a little shady. Maybe it only seems shady when youre sitting in a McDonalds parking lot in Scottsdale, Arizona, waiting for a man named Marcus to meet [you] so [you] could sell a box of 50 test strips to him; but not those online ones?! Heres a bunch of the online sites that buy test strips; and of those that claim they have the BIGGEST payout, I noticed they pay the LEAST amount of money for some of the more popular brands! I think its almost always insurance fraud and contributes to insurance being unwilling to pay for our strips. I buy my test strips on line because BCBS will not supply my test strips under any circumstance. I pay less for my strips on Amazon than most individuals OP cost is through their insurance company. I have no idea where they really come from but there in the factory package and have a descent expiration date. My last purchase was $120.00 for a Qty.of 600. I have never sold test strips, but over the years I have given away many infusion sets, insulin, test strips , and metersI hate to see diabetes products go in the trash You can get 600 Relion Prime strips for $107.26 at Walmart with a prescription (without a prescription you have to pay tax) and no insurance. This seems sketchy. Continue reading >>
Diabetes Health Coverage: State Laws And Programs
Diabetes Health Coverage State Laws and Programs Diabetes Health Coverage: State Laws and Programs This is a policymaker and consumer guide to state insurance mandated coverage, Medicaid coverage and state-sponsored diabetes programs. It was published 2011and updated material was added January 2016 All state law diabetes mandates and minimum coverage requirements for state-regulated health insurance policies. The tables include the enacted state laws passedsince the firstmandates inCalifornia (1981) and New York (1993). Use links below to go directly to state-based information: State Medicaid diabetes coverage terms and conditions. All Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) diabetes coverage. Contact information and an overview of federal funding provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to state-sponsored diabetes prevention and control programs (DPCPs). DPCPs represent the front line in battling diabetes in most states. An overview of other state activities and initiatives, such as creation of diabetes coordinator positions in the executive branch to fight diabetes. Federal Health Reform.The federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) signed March 2010, has led to changed and expanded coverage termed "EssentialHealth Benefits." Newly Released: NCSL Survey:Diabetes Drug coverage: A new survey of2016 Insurance Plans in 50 states, examining 1) patient access to the scores of diabetes drug treatments and2) results in the 46 states with laws mandating or offering diabetes coverage. NCSL original research, published summer 2016. [Read the report] December 2015: " Diabetes: Addressing the Costs; A 50-State Budget Survey for FY 2014 ." NCSL released its latest diabetes report, taking a closer look at programs and budget appropriations that play a role in con Continue reading >>
Sell Diabetic Lancets For Cash
If you have unused diabetic lancets, don’t let them go to waste. Lancets are important diabetic testing supplies, and Cash Now Offer is dedicated to helping people with diabetes get the supplies they need. It’s a win-win for you: You get cash for diabetic lancets, and Cash Now Offer provides the supplies to those who need them most. How Can I Sell My Diabetic Lancets? Selling your extra diabetic lancets couldn’t be easier with Cash Now Offer. Read on to learn how to get cash for your diabetic lancets and other diabetic testing supplies. Cash Now Offer provides cash for diabetic lancets that are unused and in their original packaging. It is very important that you not open or tamper with the packaging, as this limits our ability to provide discounted supplies to diabetics in need. Follow these guidelines to sell unused diabetic lancets to Cash Now Offer: Cash Now Offer accepts most name-brand diabetic lancets. You can check whether your lancets qualify with our handy online calculator. Some of the brands we accept include One Touch, Bayer, Accu-Chek and Freestyle. Check to make sure your lancets are unopened and unexpired. Unfortunately, we cannot accept diabetic lancets that are not in their original packaging. Get your quote from Cash Now Offer! Once you’ve tallied your supplies, get an accurate quote to learn how much cash you can receive for your diabetic testing supplies (remember that we buy test strips and other supplies in addition to diabetic lancets). Ship your supplies. At checkout, choose your desired shipping method. We can email you a shipping label, provide a shipping kit or reimburse your postage. Select the shipping method that is most convenient to you and send your supplies. Get cash! Once we verify the contents of your shipment, you get paid! Continue reading >>
A Diabetes Test You Can Do Yourself
Are you urinating more often, feeling very thirsty, hungry, or tired? Maybe you’re losing weight. You may have type 2 diabetes. To find out, you can make an appointment with your doctor and have your blood tested for the condition. Or you can go to the drug store, buy a blood glucose meter, and give yourself a diabetes test. An estimated 40 percent of adults with type 2 diabetes don’t know they have it, which means they aren’t getting treatment that could protect them from very serious health problems down the road, such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure. The best option is to go to a doctor if you’re having symptoms of diabetes. But if you’re reluctant to do that, for whatever reason, the next best thing is to buy an over-the-counter diabetes test kit. "If you have a family history of diabetes, are obese, or have high blood pressure, you should test yourself for diabetes, if your doctor hasn’t already done so," says Marvin M. Lipman, M.D., Consumer Reports' chief medical adviser. "By being a proactive person, you might save yourself a lot of grief in the future.” Blood glucose meters can be purchased without a prescription. Models in our Ratings of more than two dozen devices cost $10 to $75. They usually come with 10 lancets, but you might have to buy a pack of test strips separately, which can cost $18 and up; check the package to see what it includes. If the meter doesn’t come with strips, make sure you buy a pack made for that model or you’ll get inaccurate results. Most models come with batteries. Here’s what you need to do next: Fast overnight. Don’t have anything to eat or drink (except water) for at least 8 hours, then test yourself first thing in the morning, before breakfast. Follow directions. Read the manual to ma Continue reading >>
Diabetic Lancets | Walgreens
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Diabetic Supplies Need A Prescription Too!
Which insulin supplies should you get a prescription for? Not only do you need a prescription for your insulin if you are a diabetic, but you should also have your doctor write you a prescription for your needles and your test strips. Why do you need a prescription for these? In order for drug plans to pay for your insulin supplies like needles and strips, they require a prescription. You can buy these items without a prescription, but they will not be covered by your insurance plan. What about lancets? Lancet’s are not covered by any insurance plans at the current time. Therefore you do not require a prescription for lancets because you will have to pay for them either way. What should be on the prescription? The prescription should specify how frequently the supplies are to be used (ex. Three times daily or Four times daily etc.). It should also say how many needles and/or strips are being prescribed. The doctor may write this as a quantity (ex. 100) or by duration (ex. 3 months). How long is a prescription valid for? The longest possible duration for a single prescription is 18 months from the date it is entered into the pharmacy’s computer. However, the pharmacy can accept a prescription up to one year after the date it was written. Even though you will need these supplies ongoing, the doctor cannot write a prescription for the rest of your life! It is good practice to ask your doctor for a new prescription for your supplies at each doctors visit to ensure your prescription for supplies doesn’t expire. Ask a member of the pharmacy team about the status of your diabetic supply prescription today! Continue reading >>
Diabetic Lancets & Accessories | Cvs.com
The product you are looking for might be discontinued. A lancet or blood lancet is a small medical implement used to acquire blood samples usually taken from a finger or on the arm and are designed to be disposable. Typically used by diabetics for blood glucose monitoring, lancing devices are medical instruments equipped with a lancet used to puncture the skin of the user. Some lancing devices allow the user to adjust the depth of penetration depending on the thickness of the skin or sensitivity to the fingertip, which may lessen the pain associated with extracting blood samples. When purchasing a blood glucose meter , a lancing device is typically included, however if the lancing device is causing too much pain or does not extract enough blood, consult your health care provider for recommendations of other lancing devices that may perform better. Not all lancets are the same. The ideal lancing device for you should be able to provide an adequate blood sample while causing the least amount of pain. This process may take some time before you find the right lancing device that meets your needs. When possible talk to someone who has experience with different lancing devices or consult with your health care provider for their recommendation. It is important to remember that dispose of the lancets properly. Due to the risk of blood borne pathogens, both the lancet and test strip should be disposed properly. Choosing the right lancet for you or a loved one can be a simple decision. At CVS Pharmacy, we have a wide selection of lancing devices and accessories from trusted brands. For additional information about choosing the right lancing device for you, visit your nearest CVS Pharmacy location or consult with your physician to learn more about what options are available. Continue reading >>
The Top 4 Reason Diabetics Have Extra Test Strips And Lancets
This question gets brought up a lot and it’s important to revisit and clarify. It’s one of the main questions we get asked. Why do people have extra test strips… especially if they’re prescribed? Before we discuss the Top 4 reasons there’s a few elephants in the room to be addressed. Some people think that what we do is a scam or even illegal. It’s the logical question, which is why I’ve spent countless hours researching the question. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), reselling test strips is legal as long as a few policies are adhered to. If the boxes are damaged, expired, or recalled we don’t accept them. We don’t accept International boxes as stated in our FAQs. We also don’t purchase Medicare/Medicaid boxes. For information on who needs to register withe the FDA to sell test strips, click here. *When discussing the legality of reselling test strips and lancets it’s vital to clarify a common misconception: Test Strips and Lancets fall into a category known as Durable Medical Equipment (DME) along with wheelchairs, canes, and similar medical devices. Click here (LINK) for Medicare’s criteria on which devices qualify as DME. We don’t resell drugs at teststripz.com. We don’t buy or sell insulin for the same reason… Those are highly regulated drugs, substances, or medications and they fall under a much category than DME. Then why are test strips and lancets prescribed? Diabetes is a very complicated disease and it can lead to types of health complications. An Endocrinologist can help PWDs manage the disease. The Doctor can help determine how often they should test, which meter to use, etc. and these differ greatly by person. Not to mention that diabetes is a very general term Continue reading >>
Can I Buy Glucose Test Strips Over The Counter?
Yes, you can purchase as many blood glucose test strips as you want over the counter at your local pharmacy or online. You may find that local pharmacies keep their test strips behind the counter. That’s is not because a prescription is required for test strips but rather to keep the test strips from people stealing them because they are so expensive. Do I Need A Prescription to Buy Glucose Test Strip? We often get this question about all diabetic supplies not just the test strips, and the answer is always the same: No, you’re not required to have a prescription to buy glucose test strips. If for whatever reason you need buy diabetic tests strips you can do so by ordering them online or purchasing them at your local pharmacy. Just keep in mind that they are so expensive at your local pharmacy. Does Insurance Require Prescription to Cover My Test Strips? The answer to this question depends on your insurance. Generally, there are three possible scenarios: Your insurance requires a prescription to cover your test strips. In that case you will need to have your doctor write you a prescription to get coverage for your test strips. Otherwise, you can buy them without prescription but you would have to pay out of your pocket. You may have to launch a letter-writing campaign to your insurance to see if they will reimburse you for the over the counter purchase of test strips. There are other insurances that don’t require prescriptions. All they will need from you is the invoice. Simply Submit your invoice to them for reimbursement. These are commonly referred to as Good insurance. Lastly, if you’re on Medicare or Medicaid, you will need to have a prescription to get covered. You can check online to see if there are any government programs that will reimburse you for diab Continue reading >>
When Do You Need A Prescription For Diabetic Test Strips?
When Do You Need A Prescription for Diabetic Test Strips? Whether or not you need a prescription to purchase diabetic test strips depends on one thing. Read this article to find out how it all works. If you’re one of the 29 million Americans living with diabetes, you likely have a lot of questions about how to get the medication you need. We’re sure you also have questions about how you can keep the costs of supplies, test strips, lancets, and hospital visits down. Even if you’re working out and taking care of yourself, you may feel like you can’t do much to fight back against the rising costs of life with diabetes. In this post, we’ll talk about whether or not you need a prescription to get diabetic test strips. We’ll also talk about how the cost of diabetes is different for the insured and the uninsured diabetes patient. No matter what your coverage is like, it’s always a smart idea to look for bargains, ways to save, and ways to make back some of the money you’ve spent on diabetic test strips. Read this post to learn how to save better. The Costs Of Diabetes: Insured vs. Uninsured There’s no getting around it: life with diabetes is costly. In fact, recent figures show that the average yearly cost for one person living with diabetes is about $13,700. Unfortunately, that same study showed that those without health insurance who are living with a diabetes diagnosis get 68% fewer prescriptions, and 79% fewer doctor visits, than those that are insured. Though most states have made sure insurance companies are required to cover medical costs and supplies, you still have to do a good amount of work to get certain things covered by your plan. You may even have to write them letters just to make back a small portion of what you spend on supplies like diabeti Continue reading >>
Diabetic Supply Provider Wheeling, Insulin Pump, Test Strips, Lancets Mark Drug Medical Supply Wheeling, Il 800-479-6275
Yes, Medicare will cover the cost of some diabetes supplies if you have diabetes. The Medicare will pay for limited amounts of diabetes supplies if you have a medical need for them and they have been prescribed by your treating doctor. To ensure that Medicare pays for your supplies you must follow the steps below: Only your doctor can prescribe diabetes supplies for you, so do not order anything until you have visited your doctor. Your treating doctor must write an order (prescription) for the diabetes supplies, document the need in your medical records and give you a prescription for the supplies. The order must be received by the supplier before Medicare is billed and it must be kept on file by the supplier. If you receive your Medicare through a one of Medicare Medical Advantage Plans (like a HMO, PPO) it is likely you will have to follow the plan's steps for approval and purchase. Make a point of calling your plan's customer service number and ask about their steps for coverage of diabetes supplies. Types of Diabetic Supplies Covered by Medicare Medicare covers some diabetes supplies, including: Glucose control solution for checking the accuracy of test strips and monitors. There may be limits on how much or how often you get these supplies; The limits will vary with the type of coverage you have (Part B cover, Medicare Advantage Plan). Medicare Part B does not cover the cost of insulin unless you use an Insulin pump. If you inject your insulin with a needle (syringe), the Medicare prescription drug benefit (Part D) covers the insulin and the supplies necessary to inject it:, which includes: syringes, needles, alcohol swabs and gauze. Your Part D plan will cover the insulin and any other medications to treat your diabetes at home as long as they are on your plan's Continue reading >>
Lancets On Prescription
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community I have had T1 for 20 years and over recent years I have let it get out of control. I made the decision to do something about it and started off by attending the DAFNE course. Their recommendations for blood testing were before every meal, before bed and before driving, which for me is around 6 times a day/ 180 times a month. My Diabetes team sent a letter to my GP on completion of the DAFNE course stating that I would need a minimum of 150 lancets and strips each month; as lancets come in boxes of 100 I will need 200 a month as opposed to my old prescription of 100 per month. Initially several GPs refused to change my prescription and would only give me 100, but when I saw my usual GP in December he changed the repeat prescription to 200 for me and also put a note on the system to keep at 200. I thought that my problem had been sorted until today when I went to collect my lancets prescription and I only got 100 again. When the receptionist spoke to my usual GP he said that he would try and change my repeat prescription back to 200 lancets but it may then be changed back to 100 again as there is now a legal limit of 100 lancets per month to be issued. I am just waiting on a call back from the practice manager to complain about this. In the mean time I have received an email back from Diabetes UK careline stating that there is in fact NO LAW restricting the amount of lancets or strips. See below for the email reply that I got from them: There is absolutely no 'law' which restricts the amount of lancets available on prescription. Some PCT's are advising GP surgeries about how many lancets and test strips they should be prescribing their patients, though Continue reading >>
