Can I Get Diabetes Supplies Through The Mail Order
You can also receive your diabetes supplies through the Medicare national mail-order program, although mail-order suppliers may offer fewer brands than your local pharmacy. If the supplier you contact doesnt carry Accu-Chek products, visit your local retailer to fill your Accu-Chek Guide test strip prescription.
Prodigy Diabetic Supplies Medicare And Insurance Coverage
Blood glucose testing is an important part of diabetes management. Most insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid will pay for blood glucose testing supplies. With private insurance or managed care, patients will most likely be asked to pay a co-pay to cover part of the cost of the supplies. Medicare pays for 80% of supplies once the patient has met their yearly deductible and the patient is responsible for the remaining 20% of the cost. See the www.Medicare.gov site for a full explanation of how your blood glucose testing supplies are covered. Prodigy Diabetes Care is contracted with certain insurance providers and state Medicaid programs, which may make the Prodigy brand products available to those individuals at a lower co-pay or no co-pay depending on the program.Continue reading > >
Does Medicare Cover Blood Sugar Test Strips
Medicare Part B covers blood sugar test strips and some other diabetic supplies such as blood glucose self-testing equipment and supplies, therapeutic shoes and inserts, and insulin pumps and the insulin for the pumps.1
These items are covered for people with diabetes whether or not they take insulin. The only difference is that Medicare generally will cover strips more frequently for people who use insulin. Medicare will also cover blood sugar test strips more often if your doctor documents why it is medically necessary.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you need to make sure to get your diabetic supplies from a supplier that works with your plan. Call your plan for more information.
There are two ways that you can get the blood sugar test strips you need. You can get blood sugar test strips from a Medicare-contracted supplier or at your local pharmacy.
1. Order blood sugar test strips from a Medicare-contracted medical equipment or mail-order supplier.
Medicare will cover blood sugar test strips from a medical supplier, but you will need a prescription from your doctor to place the order.
Medicare also has a mail-order program for diabetic testing supplies. You can enter your ZIP code to find a supplier on the Medicare web site. Check the box for Mail-Order Diabetic Supplies, then scroll down and click the Search button. Youll get a list of contracted suppliers.
2. Buy blood sugar test strips at a pharmacy that accepts Medicare assignment.
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How Do Glucose Test Strips Work
If you have diabetes, its probably a very familiar drill: You stick the test strip into the meters slot, prick a finger with the lancet, draw out a drop of blood, and transfer the blood to the edge of the test strip.
What happens next is pretty ingenious, even though at first glance the technology might seem old-fashioned when compared to insulin pumps, CGMs, or other new technologies for diabetes care.
The chemicals in the strip react with glucose to create an electric current, and electrons travel to the meter. The meter then determines how much glucose was required to generate that much electricity and bingo, your blood glucose number flashes on the screen.
Actually, the science behind test strips is quite complicated. They are made up of at least five different layers, including a super-thin layer of gold that helps conduct the current. Click here to see an illustration.
Ways You Could Save On Blood Sugar Test Strips
Blood sugar testing is a way to keep track of how well diabetes is being managed. Test results help to show how food, physical activity and diabetes medications affect blood sugar.
The number of blood sugar tests a person with diabetes may do varies. It depends on the treatment plan. Some people test their blood sugar several times a day. Others test less often. And every blood sugar test uses one test strip. Sometimes extra tests may be needed, such as when starting a new medication or adjusting an insulin dose.
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How Does Medicare Pay For Blood Glucose Test Strips
If you have Medicare Part B , youll likely be covered for the costs of test strips.
Medicare covers blood glucose testing strips as a form of durable medical equipment. As such, Medicare will typically pay 80% of the costs of test strips.
However, that means certain costs will still be left up to you. These costs may typically include:
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20% of Medicares approved costs of test strips
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Any portion of Medicare Part B deductible that you havent yet paid
Some Medicare Part D prescription drug plans may also cover diabetes supplies, insulin and other medications.
You can compare Part D plans available where you live and enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan online when you visit MyRxPlans.com.
How Accurate Are Glucose Test Strips
This has been a controversial issue over the years because some brands of meters and strips have been shown to be more accurate than others. Theres also concern about the accuracy of models that have been out on the market for many years, so have not been tested for accuracy since their original approval by the FDA.
The California-based nonprofit Diabetes Technology Society recently tested 18 popular blood glucose meters and compared their results to those of outside laboratories that tested the same blood specimens.
The DTS gold standard is that a meter and its test strips should yield BG readings within 15 percent or 15 mg/dL of the laboratory values at least 95 percent of the time. In several studies, only six brands passed that test for accuracy:
- Contour Next from Bayer 100 percent
- Accu-Chek Aviva Plus from Roche 98 percent
- Walmart ReliOn Confirm from Arkray 97 percent
- CVS/pharmacy Advanced from Agamatrix 97 percent
- FreeStyle Lite from Abbott 96 percent
- Accu-Chek SmartView from Roche 95 percent
So, theres a whole bunch of test strips and meters out there that are less accurate than they should be. The least accurate were:
- Solus V2 from BioSense Medical 76 percent
- Advocate Redi-Code+ from Diabetic Supply of Suncoast 76 percent
- Gmate Smart from Philosys 71 percent
Still, the accuracy of results, along with ease of use and price of both the meter and strips, should factor into your decision when choosing a glucose meter, according to experts in the DTS
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What Diabetic Test Strips Are Covered By Tricare
TRICARE covers the following OTC supplies:
- Insulin products.
- FreeStyle Lite and Precision Xtra blood glucose strips.
- Urine glucose test strips.
- Blood and urine ketone/acetone test strips.
- Syringes and needles used for injectable medications.
- Lancets.
. Moreover, does the VA cover diabetic supplies?
Manar’s diabetes care is covered 100% as a service-related disability. Starting in 2001, the VA listed diabetes as a “presumptive” condition for in-country Vietnam vets. But even for vets not exposed to Agent Orange, diabetes treatment is still a covered benefit as part of overall healthcare.
Secondly, does Tricare cover diabetes education? This outpatient program educates beneficiaries on the self-management of diabetes. The DSMT program must be TRICARE-authorized and accredited by the American Diabetes Association or accredited and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide DSMT services.
Regarding this, what diabetic supplies are covered by Medicare?
Original Medicare Part B covers some diabetic supplies, including:
- Blood sugar test strips.
- Blood glucose monitors, lancet devices, and lancets.
- Glucose control solutions for checking the accuracy of test strips and monitors.
- Insulin if you are using a medically necessary insulin pump
Does Va cover dexcom?
Insurance Coverage For Talking Meters
If you have private insurance, your insurance company will probably cover the cost of a talking blood glucose meter. However, many insurance plans cover more of the cost of particular brands of meters or cover only selected brands of meters. Before making a purchase, find out whether your insurance covers the cost of the meter that best meets your needs. And more important, find out whether your insurance will cover the ongoing cost of the strips that are used with that meter. Coverage varies from one insurance company to the next, between policies provided by the same company, and sometimes even in the same policy from one year to the next, so you will need to contact your insurance company for information specific to the policy you currently have. Under Part B coverage, Medicare will cover a talking meter or add-on voice attachment for people who have legal blindness or lower vision. The meter or attachment must be billed under code E2100, and you will be asked to provide documentation of your visual impairment from your ophthalmologist. Disclaimer Statements: Statements and opinions expressed on this Web site are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the publishers or advertisers. The information provided on this Web site should not be construed as medical instruction. Consult appropriate health-care professionals before taking action based on this information.Continue reading > >
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Are Blood Glucose Test Strips Covered By Insurance
Test strips are covered by most commercial insurers, as well as Medicare and Medicaid. According to survey data provided to DiabetesMine by the diabetes research firm dQ& A, most PWDs do get their test strips through health insurance 82 percent of people with type 1 diabetes, and 76 percent of those with type 2 to be exact.
But even with this coverage, test strips can often be very pricey.
For one thing, if you have a high deductible health plan, you still might need to pay over-the-counter prices for supplies until you meet the deductible. However, you could catch a break if you have a health savings account , as the Treasury Department recently said that diabetes supplies and insulin would be covered in high deductible plans for people who have HSAs.
Also, your insurance might not cover the brand of test strips that you want. Many insurance plans put specific preferred brands of meters and test strips in their top formulary tiers. That means brands not in those tiered lists will cost much more.
This can be a problem for PWDs who need specific meters that transmit readings to their insulin pumps, or who switch insurance plans and dont like the meters and strips covered by their new plans.
Medicare Covers Some Other Diabetes Supplies And Treatments
Medicare Part B also helps cover the costs of some other diabetes treatment-related services, which can include:
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Lancets and lancet devices
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Blood sugar monitoring and control devices
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Therapeutic shoes or shoe inserts
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Insulin
It’s important to note that in order for Medicare to cover some diabetes testing supplies, you may need to go through specific durable medical equipment suppliers who are enrolled in Medicare.
Additionally, Medicare Part B covers some diabetes services. These can include:
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Annual eye exams
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Medical nutrition therapy services
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How To Get Diabetes Supplies Through Medicare Part B
To get your diabetes supplies under Medicare Part B, you need a prescription from your doctor. The prescription should state:
Simply hand one of the Medicare cards shown here and your prescription to your pharmacist when you go to the pharmacy.
Can You Buy Glucose Test Strips Over The Counter
In the United States, glucose test strips are available over the counter at big box stores, independent retail pharmacies, and a lot of websites, including Amazon, eBay, discount pharmaceutical sites like GoodRx, and manufacturers online sites. You can also find them in the so-called gray market .
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What Are Glucose Test Strips Used For
Lets start with the basics: Blood glucose meters and the test strips they require allow PWDs to measure and monitor their blood sugar levels at home and on the road. First developed in 1965 and used in doctors offices, meters and test strips started to become available for PWDs at home in 1980.
To take a blood sugar reading, the user inserts the strip into the meter and applies a drop of blood, using the lancet needle to poke their finger. Most meters produce a reading within seconds. The meter can store that data for later review by the PWD and their doctor.
Meters and strips are now an essential part of diabetes management for most PWDs. That includes 30+ percent of people with type 1 diabetes who now use CGMs, yet still do fingerstick tests to calibrate their monitors although backup fingerstick tests are not required by the Food and Drug Administration with some of the newer CGM systems, including Dexcom G6, Abbott Freestyle Libre, and the implantable Eversense CGM.
How Much Do Testing Supplies Cost
If youve met your Part B deductible , you will pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for diabetic testing supplies. Medicare pays the other 80 percent.
Depending on the type of equipment or supplies you need, you may need to:
- rent the equipment.
- buy the equipment.
- choose whether to rent or buy the equipment.
Additionally, your durable medical equipment will only be covered if your doctors and DME suppliers are enrolled in Medicare. You must also purchase your testing supplies from a supplier who accepts assignment. In this case, they can only charge you the coinsurance and Part B deductible.
Accepting assignment means the supplier agrees to be paid directly by Medicare and accepts the payment amount Medicare approves for the service. The Medicare-approved amount is the amount a supplier can be paid by Medicare, and you pay the rest.
To ensure your supplier is enrolled in Medicare, ask if they participate in Medicare before you order the supplies.
How much you will specifically pay for supplies depends on a variety of factors such as:
- Other insurance you may have.
- How much your doctor charges.
- Where you get your supplies.
- Whether your doctor and supplier accept assignment.
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Is It Legal To Resell Diabetic Test Strips
Theres no law against buying and selling diabetes test strips on the open market. As a result, a growing gray market has emerged, where companies buy strips from PWDs and other sources and resell them. Go online and youll find more than a few outfits doing this, with names like TestStripSearch.com, QuickCash4TestStrips.com, and Stripsupply.com.
Weve checked into the deals available at some of these companies and are skeptical. As explained in our earlier article on Saving Money on Diabetes Medications and Supplies, the savings here dont appear to be that great, and given the fact that the quality control in these outfits is uncertain, we urge caution. Some sellers may try to peddle expired goods, for example.
Partly in response to this gray market, the state of California for one has begun to regulate the supply chain of diabetes products, including glucose test strips, to prevent fraud and ensure patient safety.
The FDA issued to consumers about the safety of pre-owned or unauthorized test strips in April 2019, although the agency noted that it was not aware of any deaths or serious injuries from these strips.
In other words, buyer beware.
How Much Will You Pay For Diabetes Supplies Through Medicare Part B
After you have met the Part B deductible, you’ll pay co-insurance of 20% of the Medicare-approved payment rate for necessary supplies and services. Many Medicare beneficiaries have additional coverage that may help them pay the co-insurance.
All diabetes supplies are reimbursed at the same rate under Medicare Part B.2,3 You won’t pay more to get quality Accu-Chek diabetes products available at all major retail pharmacies.
You can also receive your diabetes supplies through the Medicare national mail-order program, although mail-order suppliers may offer fewer brands than your local pharmacy. If the supplier you contact doesn’t carry Accu-Chek products, visit your local retailer to fill your Accu-Chek Guide test strip prescription.
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1Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicare’s coverage of diabetes supplies and services. Available at: . Accessed August 17, 2018.
2Medicare. Medicare’s national mail-order program for diabetes testing supplies. Available at: . Accessed August 16, 2018.
3Accu-Chek test strips are covered when medically necessary for the patient and prescribed by a physician.
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Does Medicare Cover Accu Chek Test Strips
More and more people with diabetes are using continuous glucose monitors like the Dexcom G6 system and the Freestyle Libre 14 Days. But many people still prefer traditional fingerstick glucose meters. One well-known fingerstick glucose meter is the Accu Chek Test Strips.
So a common question many people have is, does Medicare cover Accu Chek Test Strips? In this article, we answer that question in clear, plain English. You will also find the average costs of Accu Chek Test Strips, as well as other helpful info.
