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May 4, 2008, 10:52 pm
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How the heck do they get away with charging around $1 per strip when the machines are often free or cheap? Most people I know are supposed to test 3-4 times a day. But who the heck wants to spend $100 a month to test their blood sugar? I know OneTouch meters tout they are the most covered by insurance, but at what percentage?

If you have diabetes you know all about the way the companies make their real money. They give the glucose meters away and charge like mad for the strips you need.

It is almost impossible to afford to test as often as the doctors want you too. Most diabetics get into a schedule of testing and then as the results are good they tend to not test so often and soon, just test if they don't feel well or if they eat in a different way.

Most begin to rely on the A1C test that tells you how well you were in control for the average of a three month period.

I have an even better "joke." The new glucose meter my sister got runs on one small button battery. The booklet that comes with the machine says the battery is good for 20 tests! That's less than the number of times you're supposed to test your blood sugar a week! I guess they want us to buy a new battery every week too!

That is ridiculous. I know Medicare covers strips now and most private insurance companies should cover the strips as well. I would call your insurance company first and find out what kind of strips they cover and get the meter that matches up.

My latest insurance coverage (my husband's work keeps changing companies) has limited how many strips I can get a month.

It just seems wrong that they can decide how many I get rather than honoring what my doctor writes on the prescription.

If your Dr prescribs more than allowed call the insurance company for an exception. Sometimes you can appeal such a decision and they will wave the restriction. The worst they can say is no.

You can also look into getting a secondary drug insurance to help out.

Chris

Chris, We did appeal.

In fact my dr was great in fighting this out with me but after many appeals the insurance company let the dr and me know that that was it and we had their final answer.

I hate it when drug companies think they have the right to prescribe.