How To Get Free Diabetes Supplies
1 Obtain insurance. If you do not have insurance already, you should enroll in an insurance program. Insurance can provide free or discounted diabetes supplies under basic coverage. You can enroll in an insurance program through healthcare.gov, a public database provided under the Affordable Care Act. Under AFA, you cannot be turned down for preexisting conditions and you may be eligible for a discounted premium depending on your current income. There is a toll-free number to call if you have any questions.[1] You can try to pursue a private insurance program on your own. You will have to undergo a health insurance physical, which will serve to determine your pay rate. This choice may be costly, especially if you already have diabetes. This may increase your monthly premium. If you are currently employed, see if your employer provides health care options and what you need to do to get on their plan. 2 Call your existing insurance company. If you're already insured, call your insurance company to talk about diabetes coverage. You can ask them what supplies will be covered under their program, what the copay is, and whether local pharmacies will offer you free or discounted supplies. If you're unhappy with your current coverage, consider pursuing an alternative insurance plan. 3 Consider Medicare. Medicare is a government assistantship program that provides discounted health care to those 65 and over. If you're in this age group and need help paying for diabetes supplies, look into Medicare. Medicare Part B is basic medical insurance provided by Medicare. Part B will cover blood sugar self-testing equipment and supplies, insulin pumps, and therapeutic shots or shoe inserts.[2] If you have or are at risk for diabetes, you'll be encouraged to enroll in Medicare Part D, whic Continue reading >>
Free Diabetes Test Supplies And Diabetic Testing
Below is our updated directory of free diabetic test supplies and diabetic testing and treatment, as well as sources of federal, state and local health assistance programs. We are constantly adding additional resources for diabetes patients to the list, so please bookmark this page for future reference and check back regularly. U.S. Federal Government Assistance For Diabetics Medicaid The Medicaid program is a state-run, federally mandated, health fund that is available to individuals and families with low incomes who meet certain qualifications. These qualifications vary by state, but are generally restricted to those who are between 18-64, live well below the national poverty level, have children in the home or at least one individual who is totally disabled. These programs usually pay for Doctor’s visits (only Doctors who accept MediCaid as a form of payment), emergency services, hospital services and a limited number of prescription medications. For example, older, generic pills to treat diabetes may be covered by these programs, but more modern (and expensive) medications that your Doctor may want to prescribe to treat diabetes may not be covered. Don’t expect Medicaid program to cover any type of elective surgeries, insulin pumps, most non-generic prescription medications or other products/services that private health insurance would normally cover. Contact your state or county Department of Social Services for information on requirements to qualify for these programs, as well as what benefits are available. Medicare Medicare is a Government program that provides healthcare services for U.S. citizens who are age 65 and older. Those who are disabled, or who have become disabled, can also apply for Medicare. Limited coverage is available for those of all ages wh 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 >>
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 >>
Second-hand Diabetic Testing Strips Being Sold On Blackmarket
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) From social media to the streets, there seems to be a huge demand for diabetic testing strips, which test glucose levels in the blood. For people living with diabetes, like Anna DeFeo, a supply of the strips is essential. Im always testing during the course of the day, she said. If the blood sugar was high, they would know to take extra insulin. If the blood sugar was too low, they would know that they need to take in some sugar, explained Dr. Robert Gabbay , with the Joslin Diabetes Center. Because the little strips are so smart, theyre expensive. Thats a real challenge, Dr. Gabbay said. A box of 50, for example, costs about $80. If youre under-insured or have no coverage at all, the strips can become a financial burden. As a result, second-hand strip dealers have set up shop online, placing ads looking to buy unused and unwanted strips. CBS2s John Dias met up with one such dealer in south Jersey. He took three boxes, gave me $15 for each box for a total of $45, Dias reported. While the dealer claimed to donate the strips with the help of a local church group to people in Africa, experts say theyre more likely to end up online in the new underground economy for diabetic supplies, like cheap test strips. Those strips may not be as accurate, and therefore people are making decisions about taking insulin based on bad information, said Dr. Gabbay. Why take the chance, he said, on a strip that could be expired or tampered with? You dont really know what youre getting that could potentially affect your health, he said. While buying and selling diabetic test strips is not illegal, it is against the law to deal strips paid for by Medicare or Medicaid. Still, experts say diabetics receiving free or low-cost strips are the primary supplier to second-hand d Continue reading >>
Get A Free Accu-chek® Guide Or Accu-chek Aviva Meter!
When you have diabetes, accuracy matters. Choose a meter you can trust. In an average week, our quality control process tests a combined total of over 60,000 Accu-Chek test strips for consistent accuracy.1 With that type of commitment, why not use an Accu-Chek test strip? If you're not currently using Accu-Chek products, get a free meter and ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider to help you switch today. The Roche difference Roche goes above and beyond to deliver safe, accurate and dependable products. Ensuring quality and accuracy has always been our top priority. In fact, the manufacturing processes we employ for Accu-Chek Guide and Accu-Chek Aviva Plus test strips ensure that Accu-Chek products meet our uncompromising standards of quality. Here are a few examples: For every lot of Accu-Chek test strips, containing millions of strips, at least 1 out of every 128 vials is tested for consistency of performance Vials representative of the entire lot are tested a second time, with blood at a variety of glucose levels, to reflect a real-world environment To ensure all strips we release to the market meet our high quality standards, investigation and additional testing are performed should a test strip show a reading outside specific ranges Can any other manufacturer say this? Continue reading >>
Free Onetouch Mini Meter W/150 Test Strips
Free OneTouch Mini Meter w/150 Test Strips The One Touch Ultra Diabetic Test Strip is the #1 Test Strip in the United States Fast Accurate Results, Results in just 5 seconds, Small Sample Size ,Requires just a small amount of blood, Alternate Site Testing ,Test from your fingertip, palm, forearm, upper arm, thigh, or calf. The One Touch UltraMini Blood Glucose Meter is small, fast and very easy to use. Measuring only about 4 1/2 inches long by 1 1/4 wide, the One Touch UltraMini fits discretely into your pocket or purse. With just a small speck of blood from the finger, palm or forearm, accurate results are calculated in just 5 seconds. The OneTouch UltraMini Meter is the must have meter for any diabetic on the go. Compatible: One Touch Ultra Blue Blood Glucose Test Strips are compatible with OneTouch Ultra2 Blood Glucose Meter OneTouch UltraSmart Blood Glucose Meter OneTouch UltraMini Blood Glucose Meter OneTouch Ultra Blood Glucose Meter OneTouch Ping Blood Glucose Meter OneTouch UltraLink Blood Glucose Meter InDuo Blood Glucose Meter Package Contains: you will receive FREE-OneTouch UltraMini Blood Glucose Meter 3 boxes of One Touch Ultra Blood Glucose 50ct Test Strips = 150 count. Expiration: 9 to 12 months from the date of Purchase Continue reading >>
Diabetics: Roche Says It Can Save You Big Money
Type 2 diabetes can wreak havoc on your health. While lifestyle changes can help keep diabetes under control, many patients require oral medications or insulin injections as forms of treatment, too. Watch the video for how diabetes affects your body. Time Pharmaceuticals maker Roche overhauled its blood glucose monitoring system and introduced a new discounting offer that it says could save uninsured diabetics by thousands of dollars per year. The move could help alleviate political pressure as the drug industry faces mounting scrutiny over prices. It also comes amid increasing competition among blood glucose monitoring makers as diabetes rates rise. The new system pairs a free blood glucose meter with a smartphone app and discounted test strips. With some diabetics paying as much as $2 a strip for other offerings, the new Roche system paired with a free savings card could cut costs to as little as 40 cents per strip in the first 50-count box, then 20 cents per strip in subsequent boxes. The nation's 29-million diabetics pay widely varying prices for testing products, in part because many of them are covered by insurance. Roches' move is likely to provide the biggest help to the uninsured. The average American diabetic paid $1,922 in out-of-pocket expenses for care in 2013, compared to $738 for someone without the condition, according to the Health Care Cost Institute. For "the average patient, managing diabetes and acquiring all of the testing and therapy supplies can be very difficult to navigate, really complex and very often very expensive," said Brad Moore, head of Roche diabetes care in North America. The new system offers a spill-resistant vial, a larger blood application area on upgraded strips and a light on the strip port for improved visibility when testin Continue reading >>
Test Strip Subscription Guide
WRITTEN BY: Katie Doyle Note: This is part of our library of resources in Tools & How-to. Learn more about equipment and read personal reviews here. It’s no secret that the cost of diabetes has been getting a lot of attention lately, and most of it’s been negative. The price tag on general necessities like, you know, health insurance, then paying for insulin (another necessity), then purchasing the tools and supplies you require to successfully manage your Type 1 all add up. If you’re looking to cut down on Type 1 spending without neglecting your diabetes management, test strip subscriptions are one option to consider. We compiled a rundown of popular companies that offer test strip subscription services and researched each of them to give you some important info. Take a look! One Drop is a system that combines glucose monitoring with an app for your smartphone, making your diabetes management mobile and digital. The One Drop subscription service is called One Drop Premium. You pay an initial fee (about $80) for the One Drop Chrome setup, which includes a meter, lancing device, initial test strips, lancets and a case. You can then choose to pay annually or per month for a Premium subscription. If you chose the former, you’d pay about $40 per month. Subscribers are allowed to cancel anytime. This subscription includes 24/7 access to a CDE, who is available to answer questions, troubleshoot, and give tips and tricks. You can message your CDE right from the app and responses arrive within minutes! One Drop analyzes your usage of test strips and will send you the appropriate amount you need each month, essentially offering unlimited access to test strips. It will also let you know your estimated number remaining and will alert you when you are running low. Pros No i Continue reading >>
Eligible Privately Insured Patients Can Receive A Free* Contour®next Ez Blood Glucose Meter With Minimum 50-count Contour®next Test Strip Purchase
Simple to use. Simple to get. We're committed to helping you simplify your life with diabetes. That is why we made it so simple for you to get your free* CONTOUR®NEXT EZ meter. All you have to do is: Fill out the information below Click the SUBMIT button Print your coupon and bring it to your local pharmacy with a prescription from your healthcare provider (or simply have your doctor call in the prescription) Purchase minimum 50-count CONTOUR®NEXT test strip at the pharmacy Get your free* CONTOUR®NEXT EZ meter This offer is not valid for participants eligible for prescriptions reimbursed under Medicaid, Medicare drug benefit plan, Tricare or other federal or state health programs. *Limitations and restrictions apply. Limit one meter per person. Void where prohibited by law. Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar (glucose) Test Strips
How often is it covered? Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers some diabetic test supplies, including blood sugar test strips as durable medical equipment (DME). Who's eligible? All people with Part B who have diabetes are covered. Your costs in Original Medicare If your supplier accepts assignment, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and the Part B deductible applies. Medicare pays for different kinds of DME in different ways. Depending on the type of equipment: You may need to rent the equipment. You may need to buy the equipment. You may be able to choose whether to rent or buy the equipment. Medicare will only cover your DME if your doctors and DME suppliers are enrolled in Medicare. Doctors and suppliers have to meet strict standards to enroll and stay enrolled in Medicare. If your doctors or suppliers aren’t enrolled, Medicare won’t pay the claims submitted by them. It’s also important to ask your suppliers if they participate in Medicare before you get DME. If suppliers are participating suppliers, they must accept assignment. If suppliers are enrolled in Medicare but aren’t “participating,” they may choose not to accept assignment. If suppliers don't accept assignment, there’s no limit on the amount they can charge you. Competitive Bidding Program If you live in or visit certain areas, you may be affected by Medicare's Competitive Bidding Program. In most cases, Medicare will only help pay for these equipment and supplies if they're provided by contract suppliers when both of these apply: Contract suppliers can't charge you more than the 20% coinsurance and any unmet yearly deductible for any equipment or supplies included in the Competitive Bidding Program. You may need to use specific suppliers for some types of diabetes testing sup 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 >>
Blood Glucose Meter Program
Preferred Test Strips Ascensia and Abbott products are the preferred brands of test strips for all of our prescription drug programs. Both of these brands offer your patients simple and accurate test strips and monitoring systems. For Abbott monitors, the preferred test strips include FreeStyle®, FreeStyle Lite®, and Precision Xtra®. For Ascensia monitors, the preferred test strips include Contour®, Contour®NEXT, Breeze®2, Elite®, and Autodisc®. Prior Authorization Required If your patient chooses to use a test strip that is not FreeStyle, FreeStyle Lite, Precision Xtra, Contour, Contour®NEXT, Breeze 2, Elite, or Autodisc, you will need to complete a prior authorization form on your patient’s behalf. If the prior authorization is not approved, the non-preferred test strips will not be a covered pharmacy benefit for your patient, and he or she will be responsible for the entire cost of the test strips. If the request for the non-preferred test strips is approved, your patient will be charged the highest level of cost-sharing. Free Blood Glucose Meters Both Abbott and Ascensia blood glucose meters are available at no cost to our members. Below is a comparison chart of important features of the blood glucose meters and corresponding test strips. The preferred brands rank high in patient satisfaction and can be used in several test sites, as listed below. Abbott Diabetes Care Ascensia Diabetes Care Blood Glucose Meter FreeStyle® FreeStyle Freedom® Lite Precision Xtra® Contour® Breeze®2 Contour® Next One Contour® Next EZ Contour® Next Sample size (uL) 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.6 1.0 0.6 0.6 0.6 Test time 5 seconds 5 seconds 5 seconds 5 seconds 5 seconds 5 seconds 5 seconds 5 seconds Approved test sites Fingertip, hand, forearm, upper arm, thigh, calf Fingertip, hand, Continue reading >>
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Everything You Need To Know About Diabetes Test Strips
Update: A lot of our readers ask us where can they find the best deals for test strips. We personally recommend Amazon. You can check the list of selections they offer by clicking here. Blood glucose test strips play a crucial role in helping you to monitor your daily blood glucose level and giving your doctor the data to adjust your medication to control your diabetes symptoms. Without the help from these little disposable strips, life with diabetes can become even more chaotic than ever. But what exactly are these thin little plastic slip and why are they so expensive? Are there any alternative method I can use? Where can I get the best deal on these test strips? This article will answer many of your questions and concerns regarding these blood glucose test strips: Table of Contents History on Glucose Test Strips How Does the Test Strips Work Why Are the Strips So Expensive? And Why the Price Discrepancy? Why Must Diabetic Patients Use Glucometer and Test Strip? How Often Should You Administer A Blood Glucose Test? How to Find Out if Your Glucose Monitor is Accurate? How Accurate Are the Test Strips? How to Find Out if Your Glucose Monitor is Accurate? What is a Urine Glucose Test? Can’t I Use This Procedure Instead? Expiration of Test Strips Medicare Plan B Coverage for Glucose Test Strips Where to Get the Best Deal on Test Strips? Ways to Save of Test Strips How to Avoid Counterfeit Blood Glucose Test Strips Can You Reuse Test Strips? Can You Make Your Own Test Strip? 4 Most Affordable Meters How to Pick the Right Glucometer? How to Dispose Used Test Strips, Lancets, and Needles? What to Do with All These Test Strip Containers? Selling Your Glucose Test Strips A Good Idea? Odd Way to Earn Some Money Back Questions? History on Glucose Test Strips The first glucomet Continue reading >>
Get Diabetic Test Strips At Little Or No Cost*
Keeping track of test strips can be a chore. Do I have enough? When do I need to get more? How many will my insurance allow me to get? What is the best way to get test strips? Which strips do I need for my meter? Through the Diabetic Connect pharmacy network we can take much of the guess work out of managing your test strips and other diabetic supplies. Just call our toll-free number or fill out the form to learn more about your eligibility to get test strips and additional diabetic supplies delivered to your home at little or no cost*. Feeling free to check blood sugar often is one of the keys to effective diabetes management. Since test strips are sensitive to heat and light exposure, it’s important to keep a fresh supply available to ensure you are getting the best results. We will work to ensure you have enough test strips and always have a fresh supply. Fill out the form or call our customer service team to learn more about how we can help you get test strips delivered right to your door. *Requires qualifying insurance and patient eligibility; deductibles and coinsurance amounts may apply Request More Information Continue reading >>
