Diabetes Testing Equipment-strips = $100

[shortbun]

My girlfriend (without insurance) was telling me that testing strips for her diabetes are $100 a month. I found them for around $70 on the internet but I bet the DIS knows some secret I can pass on to her. She's got a husband with Parkinsons and a 25yo son living with her who has severe mental health issues. She's about tapped. Anyone?

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I'm no expert - are those thing brand specific for the glucose meter or not? My first thought is Amazon. On things like that, I've found I can't usually beat their prices.

 

[nettekay]

You didnt say what meter she is using but if she uses the freestyle they have a program to help with the cost. You can google it and the sign up. I only pay 15.00 per month for a box of 100 strips. This program is good for your lifetime!! It has been a big help since I too used to pay $100.00 an month

If she doesn't currently use that meter it should be no big deal for her to switch. I did with no problems because it takes a smaller blood drop and I can test on my arm instead of ingers. Much less pain!!

 

[shortbun]

You didnt say what meter she is using but if she uses the freestyle they have a program to help with the cost. You can google it and the sign up. I only pay 15.00 per month for a box of 100 strips. This program is good for your lifetime!! It has been a big help since I too used to pay $100.00 an month

If she doesn't currently use that meter it should be no big deal for her to switch. I did with no problems because it takes a smaller blood drop and I can test on my arm instead of ingers. Much less pain!!

This seems like a solution. She AND I use a One Touch Ultra mini. My strips are free with insurance so I wasn't looking for a change but to be able to use my arms would be heaven! Thank you!

 

[Sadie22]

I'm Type II and testing on my arm is fine. However, testing on the fingers is necessary under certain circumstances so be sure to study the documentation and do alternate-site testing only under the advice of your doctor and certified diabetes educator.

I get my strips through insurance via mail order with a copay. Insurance paid for my diabetes education with the CDE and a nutritionist as well. The meter was free from the doctor, and I have since gotten a free replacement and some free strips from the manufacturer. I use an Abbott meter. I also purchased a cable to connect the meter to my computer and download my readings into a chart, which is important to me.

Without insurance and without joining Abbott's free program for reducing the price of their strips purchased at a pharmacy, strips can be very expensive. A friend mentioned she uses a meter from Walmart and that her strips are less expensive. It pays to shop around.

I also recommend reading the ADA's Diabetes Forecast magazine and Diabetes Self-Management magazine or reading the ADA and DSM websites to stay informed on new treatments and strategies.

 

[starry_solo]

Craigslist. I have seen a lot of people selling strips and other things very cheap. You need to make sure the strips aren't expired and are still sealed in the box (both seals).

 

[shortbun]

Craigslist. I have seen a lot of people selling strips and other things very cheap. You need to make sure the strips aren't expired and are still sealed in the box (both seals).

Interesting idea. I'll take a look myself. Thanks.

 

[starry_solo]

Interesting idea. I'll take a look myself. Thanks.

You're welcome. I've also seen people post ads. The one-touch Ultra blue strips sell in So. Cal (where I'm at) for $40-50 on Craigslist for the box of 100. These strips appear to be good for the OneTouch UltraMini.

There are sites that buy unused strips (and they pay $24 for a box of 100 ultra blues) so I suspect people would rather sell them on Craigslist than to those sites.

You can also post that you're willing to buy them

 

[NYCDiane]

I'm diabetic also and even with insurance, the test strips are insanely expensive! What I ended up doing was getting the ReliOn meter at Wal Mart and the lancettes and test strips. A lot less expensive than the Freedom Lite (or any other "name brand") and, believe it or not, the meter is much more sensitive and will give a more accurate reading.

Have her look into the Wal Mart brand meter and supplies. She's going to need this stuff on an ongoing basis so she should get the best price possible!!


**** PS: Also, many store pharmacies give FREE diabetic meds (like Metformin). The grocery store by me, I get the Metformin and my Glipizide for free every month. There is no "catch" to it. Not sure where you live but look into it.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

About 3 years ago my insurance (BC/BS) stopped covering test strips because they no longer needed a prescription. The strips for my One Touch mini ran around $1.07 PER STRIP! I switched to the meter and strips sold under the Wegman's brand, which are $44/100...still expensive, but not nearly as bad.

 

[Sadie22]

I would be very careful about buying diabetes testing supplies from private parties. You don't know that they have been maintained at the proper temperature or that they are not expired.

 

[maggiew]

I am not a diabetic, so don't have much experience. But I just had to buy some test strips for a science experiment. Anyway, at Walgreens by the test strips there was a big sign about $15 copay. You might want to look into that.

Maggie

 

[robin09]

I haven't read thru yet, but when I was diagnosed I also panicked...

I went to Walmart and bought their tester and their strips... I think 50 strips is $20.. HTH

 

[zurgswife]

Sent you a PM

 

[shortbun]

I am not a diabetic, so don't have much experience. But I just had to buy some test strips for a science experiment. Anyway, at Walgreens by the test strips there was a big sign about $15 copay. You might want to look into that.

Maggie

I'll suggest she call Wallgreens but 'copay' is normally an insurance word. She has no insurance.

And PP, we can get Metformin for nothing here and some places charge $4. I take Metformin. My girlfriend is an insulin diabetic who tests 4X daily so she uses lots of these strips. She takes two types of insulin and pays around $130 a month for that. She's calling around to see if someplace has a better deal. She wants to buy locally because she often has to wait until very close to needing more to pay for her meds. They spend lots on medicine. Her husband is older and has better benefits-medicare, I believe, but her son hasn't been declared disabled so has nothing and she's recently been a caregiver for her MIL who just died and now her husband who also just got a replacement for his hip replacement due to infection.

 

[shortbun]

Love, love, love the DIS!! So much great information!!! Thank you all! Maybe others will read and benefit from this.

 

[NotUrsula]

I'd also be careful of Craigslist for a different reason: a LOT of the strips sold there are stolen. Test strips are one of the most heavily-shoplifted items sold in the US, there is a huge black market for them.

Does your friend have access to a Flexible Spending Account program? If so, at least she could put the money for this expense away before taxes.

 

[MomofM&M]

I work for a community health center and hopefully your friend can find one near her. These are special clinics for those without insurance or state funded or federally funded aid. Diabetes is not an uncommon disease and most clinics have special programs for diabetes. Often, they have a pharmacy where they get common meds and supplies at a reduce rate which gets passed on to the patient. They cannot jack up the prices but have to sell at a reduce rate. This is so helpful for our self pay patients. Hope that helps.

 

[mickeyplanner08]

She also should check the manufacturer's website for any discounts on her insulin. Most companies have a patient assistance fund that may be of some help for her. I know that Lilly, the company that makes Humalog, had some great coupons out, too. I just googled and their program is called LillyTruAssist, but I'm sure there are others as well.

Thanks for helping your friend out!