Novo Nordisk And Cvs Offer Discounted, But Inferior, Insulin
This week, Novo Nordisk and CVS Health announced a new program that will offer discounts on insulin, a life-sustaining drug for people with diabetes. CVS says this could result in savings up to $100 per 10ml bottle. Sounds superb, right? And the timing couldn’t be better, coming on the heels of the GOP’s plan to repeal the ACA and replace it with a program that puts millions of people at risk of losing coverage. But before we laud two corporate giants for a big-hearted deed, we should examine what’s actually being offered. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont brought the issue of unaffordable insulin to the forefront last November when he criticized drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. He tweeted, “Why has the price of Humalog insulin gone up 700% in 20 years? It’s simple. The drug industry’s greed.” Shortly thereafter, he and Representative Elijah Cummings called on the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate three insulin makers for price collusion, Stat News reported. The ‘big three’ pharmaceutical companies, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi dominate about 90% of the production and sale of insulin. From 2002 to 2013, the price of insulin increased 197% in the U.S. According to the advocacy group T1International, who conducted a survey that looked at out-of-pocket costs for insulin and supplies, Americans are paying more than any other country for insulin. Even the American Diabetes Association (ADA), which in the past hasn’t lobbied for affordable insulin, launched a petition and corresponding website in late 2016 about the need for affordable insulin in the U.S. People with diabetes, too, have taken a stand. With the support of the law firm Hagens Berman, a group of individuals filed a class action lawsuit against Continue reading >>
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A New Toy Measuring Blood Ketones
I just got a new toy: a device for measuring blood ketones. This is a far more exact and reliable measurement than testing for urine ketones using cheap dipsticks. Ketosis is of course the state the body is in when eating very low carb. Ketones, made from fat, will then fuel the brain instead of glucose. So who needs one of these gadgets? Perhaps nobody. Obviously it’s easy to eat LCHF without it. This is for curious nerds (like me) and for those who want definite proof that they are eating so little carbs that insulin levels are low and fat burning is maximized. A ketone level somewhere between 1.5 – 3 is said to be an optimal level for maximizing weight loss. It means that insulin levels are very low. As you can see my first measurement was 0.2, after a caesar sallad dinner. I’m not surprised as I’ve probably eaten at least 50 grams of carbs a day lately. I will try it out fasting in the mornings during the coming days. Perhaps I’ll try being really strict with the carbs for a while to see what happens. Have you tried one of these or are you interested in doing it? Continue reading >>
Diabetic Test Strips & Lancets
List of Contracted Diabetic Test Strips and Lancets This spreadsheet contains contracted diabetic test strips and lancets eligible for reimbursement for Medi-Cal fee-for-service recipients billable by pharmacy providers via NCPDP claims processing only. Refer to the Medical Supplies section of the provider manual for coverage criteria, quantity limits and additional billing information. This spreadsheet is subject to change with notification in the provider bulletins. Updates or additions to the spreadsheet will be bolded. Deletions from the spreadsheet will have strikethroughs. 'MAPC' (maximum allowable product cost) is the price on file. The manufacturers have guaranteed, upon request, a maximum acquistion cost for the contracted products to Medi-Cal providers for dispensing to eligible Fee-For-Service Medi-Cal recipeints at or below the MAPC. Unit of Measure (UOM) equals each strip or lancet. To receive reimbursement, the product number (an 11-digit number also referred to as UPN or NDC) on each package (box) dispensed must be an exact match to a billing code in this spreadsheet and the billing code on the claim. Product Type Product Description Billing Code Manufacturer MAPC Effective Date Publication Date Blood Glucose Test Strips ACCUCHEK AVIVA PLUS TEST STRIPS BOX 100 65702040810 Roche Diabetes Care, Inc. 1.0977 Prior to 2/16/2015 April 2016 Blood Glucose Test Strips ACCUCHEK AVIVA PLUS TEST STRIPS BOX 50 65702040710 Roche Diabetes Care, Inc. 1.0977 Prior to 2/16/2015 April 2016 Blood Glucose Test Strips ACCUCHEK COMPACT STRIPS BOX 102 50924088401 Roche Diabetes Care, Inc. 1.1044 Prior to 2/16/2015 April 2016 Blood Glucose Test Strips ACCUCHEK COMPACT STRIPS BOX 51 50924098850 Roche Diabetes Care, Inc. 1.1044 Prior to 2/16/2015 April 2016 Blood Glucose Test Strip Continue reading >>
Top 10 Best Glucose Meters From Consumer Reports 2015
World-wide annual sales of glucose meters and test-strip supplies tally up to well over 10 billion dollars each year, but with over 50 styles and brands to choose from, it can be hard to determine which meter is not only the best for your needs but also best in terms of accuracy, price, and ease of use. Thanks to Stacey Divone from The Girl with the Portable Pancreas, we got the inside scoop on the 2015 Consumer Reports review of today’s glucose meter technology. The first nine of these meters scored as “excellent” in accuracy and “above 80 out of 100” for their overall assessment. Here are the top 10 recommended meters: FreeStyle Lite: $20 for the meter with an annual cost of $2410 at 4 strips per day FreeStyle Freedom Lite: $20 for the meter with an annual cost of $2410 at 4 strips per day Bayer Contour Next: $20 for the meter with an annual cost of $1460 at 4 strips per day Well at Walgreens True Metrix: $22 for the meter with an annual cost of $1225 at 4 strips per day Bayer Breeze 2: $25 for the meter with an annual cost of $1900 at 4 strips per day Up & Up Blood Glucose Meter from Target: $15 for the meter with an annual cost of $525 at 4 strips per day Accu-Chek Aviva Plus: $30 for the meter with an annual cost of $2115 at 4 strips per day ReliOn Micro from Walmart: $15 for the meter with an annual cost of $525 at 4 strips per day Accu-Chek Compact Plus: $75 for the meter with an annual cost of $2030 at 4 strips per day ReliOn Ultima from Walmart: $15 for the meter with an annual cost of $525 at 4 strips per day Do you use one of these top 10 meters? What are your favorite and least favorite features? Further reading on blood sugar monitoring: Continue reading >>
A Guide For Finding Affordable Test Strips
There are many frustrating things about diabetes. One of the biggest annoyances is also one of the most necessary -- test strips, and the steep prices you might pay for the top brands. Finding affordable test strips can seem like looking for a needle in a haystack, but they really are out there. Locating affordable test strips Contrary to popular belief, there are test strips out there at a very reasonable price. In most cases, the cheapest ones are generic strips designed to work with your store-brand meter, and some work with name-brand meters. Since technology is always changing, check the box carefully each time you purchase new ones, to ensure that the strips are still compatible. Generic test strips are usually just as reliable as the more expensive ones. However, they might not have all the bells and whistles that you have come to expect from the name-brand products. For instance, a generic ReliOn test strip, manufactured by Wal-Mart, might cost right at $20 for a box of 50, and they have proven reliability. The cheaper price means fewer perks; these generic strips may not have the same wicking technology and minuscule sample size as the Freestyle Lite test strips, which can cost anywhere between $30 and $75 for a box of 50. Better prices can can often be found online at places like Amazon.com, or via mail order pharmacies. Brick-and-mortar pharmacies, mass merchandisers and discount retailers tend to have somewhat higher prices. For instance, the popular One Touch Ultra Blue Test Strips can cost around $30 at Amazon.com, yet the price can be more than double from some retailers, with CVS at $64 and Walgreens at $73. Among the cheapest test strips currently on the market are the Fora V12 ($5 for 25), Prodigy strips ($10 for 25), and Maxima strips ($11 for 25), if Continue reading >>
I Bought Those Alcohol Detection Strips For Breast Milk And Threw Them Away Almost Immediately
I bought those alcohol test strips for breast milk to make sure I wasn’t giving my baby boozy breast milk. I have some advice for you breastfeeding moms out there – steer clear of these devil strips. First of all, they’re not cheap. It was $17 for eight strips. But I really enjoy having a glass of wine at the end of the day – sometimes two. I figured I would get these so I could ease my mind about the whole drinking-during-breastfeeding thing. Every woman metabolizes alcohol differently so milkscreen™ allows Mom to relax and remove the guesswork Milkscreen™ measures the amount of alcohol in the breast milk to help ensure that there are no negative impacts on Baby Fast and easy-to-read results Liars. The alcohol test strips for breast milk doesn’t remove the guesswork at all. It basically just confirms that yes, you have had some wine. Seriously. I had one glass of wine and the strip turned the dreaded grey color. It made me feel like crap, and I could not enjoy my wine the following night. What kind of shit is this? I agree, Travis. What the hell? Really Beth? You had to drop by the reviews of a product you clearly have no intention of buying just to mommy-shame the rest of us boozers who clearly feel we deserve one stinking glass of wine without being made to feel like pariahs. Go away. Here’s what Kelly Mom, the breastfeeding resource site, has to say about alcohol consumption and breast milk: In general, if you are sober enough to drive, you are sober enough to breastfeed. Less than 2% of the alcohol consumed by the mother reaches her blood and milk. Alcohol peaks in mom’s blood and milk approximately 1/2-1 hour after drinking (but there is considerable variation from person to person, depending upon how much food was eaten in the same time period, Continue reading >>
How Long Did It Take Ketostix To Start Working For You? Did They Work Well For You? Do You Still Use Them Regularly?
I recently bought some ketone detecting strips. (This brand.) I'm toying with using them regularly as an accountability tool in keeping my carbs low. I'd like to hear more about folks' use of Ketostix or other ketone detecting strips. My main points of curiosity: 1 Worst Carb After Age 50 If you're over 50 and you eat this carb, you will never lose belly fat. HealthPlus50 Do you have a favorite/least favorite brand? Where did you find the best deal? Did you need to eat zero-carb or just low-carb to see the strips change? How many hours/days of low- or zero-carb eating did it take for the strips to start changing? How many grams of carbs have you eaten in the past which resulted in the ketone detecting strips reversing color (indicating that you're out of ketosis)? Do you use them only occasionally or all the time? If all the time, do you test multiple times daily? In other words, do Ketostix (or ketone detecting strips) work for you, and if so, how do you put them to work for you? Continue reading >>
Comparing The Cost Of Diabetes Test Strips At Major Retailers
Where’s the best place to buy blood glucose monitor test strips over-the-counter? And which test strips are the most affordable? We took a look at the top blood sugar test strip costs at a few of the major retailers to see what the best deals are. Hands down, the ReliOn brand of test strips is the most affordable if you’re paying for test strips out-of-pockt at a meager 18 cents per strip (in a 50 count box) at Walmart and 35 cents (in a 50 count box) if you buy on Amazon. However, it’s only available at Walmart (and Amazon), so that can make it difficult if there isn’t a Walmart in your area. The next most affordable test strip is the Bayer Contour Next, which came it between 77 cents and 86 cents per strip in their 50 count boxes if you buy them at a brick-and-mortar store, or 24 cents per strip on Amazon. Lifescan’s One Touch Ultra Blue, Roche’s Accuchek Aviva, and Abbott’s Freestyle Lite came in at well over a dollar a strip at all the major pharmacy retailers, but all of them in under a dollar a strip if you buy on Amazon. Roche’s Accuchek Aviva came in as the most expensive test strip at every retailer, except Amazon, where it came in a whole 5 cents cheaper than One Touch Ultra Blue. Amazon is for the most part the most affordable place to buy your test strips out-of-pocket, unless you’re buying Walmart’s ReliOn test strips. In that case, you’re better off just driving to Walmart. Here’s the full breakdown: Walmart One Touch Ultra Blue – 50 count: $68.79 / $1.37 per strip Freestyle Lite – 50 count: $81.64 / $1.63 per strip Bayer Contour Next – 50 count: $38.88 / $.77 per strip ReliOn Prime – 50 count: $9.00 / $.18 per strip AccuChek Aviva Plus – 50 count: $82.27 / $1.64 per strip Walgreens One Touch Ultra Blue – 50 count: $79.9 Continue reading >>
Urine Glucose Testing
General concept Accuracy Limitations of urine test strips Barney's example (potentially fatal mistake) A little humor How urine glucose testing works Many vets recommend urine glucose testing as a method of monitoring your pet's diabetes at home. It is simple and inexpensive. But it has some serious limitations that must be understood and taken into consideration. Urine glucose testing is based on the fact that excessive amounts of glucose in the blood will be filtered by the kidneys into the urine. Once the amount of glucose in the blood exceeds the renal threshold (180 mg/dL) , glucose is spilled into the urine. The renal threshold is the level at the kidneys can not "process" any more blood glucose and it spills into the urine. If the blood glucose is high for an extended period of time, glucose is usually present in the urine. The amount of glucose present in the urine depends on how high the blood glucose was, and how long the blood glucose was high. Urine glucose test strips like the pictures shown below are used. The test strip has a little test area at the end that is dipped into urine or held in the urine stream. After a certain amount of time, the color of the test area is compared to a reference color chart. Bayer makes several types of urine tests strips. Diastix and Clinistix test only for urine glucose. Keto-Diastix test for both glucose and ketones. The Diastix have more "levels" of glucose measurement than the Clinistix. Follow the instructions that come with your test strips, and use the reference color chart on the bottle or box. The picture shown below is just an example - the colors are NOT to be used to compare your urine test strip. The color chart tells you approximately how much glucose has spilled into your pet's urine. Note: Different test stri Continue reading >>
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 >>
