I hate to say it, but I doubt it’s savey business skills. Likely it’s people who have a script for say 300 or 400 strips a month and then only test 1 or 2 times a day. Then sell the overage on eBay. I have a buddy on a state program and they send him 300 strips every 25 days an he only tests in the morning (not the smartest move). So he sends his extra to family. Techically insurence fraud I guess, but I think the places like abbott make so much money, they don’t care and the insurance companies are too busy kicking cancer patients off their plans to pay too much attention to this kind of waste 
One way they get these strips at a cheap price is through diversions from recalls. About 2 years ago, I read about an Indiana man who had been contracted by Bayer US to help collect and return recalled test strips. He didn’t do it. He kept a number of them for himself and sold others on eBay at a profit. Since he was diabetic, he checked the validity of some of the strips on his own blood, but of course, he didn’t bother to have that checked against a lab draw. The readings were just “about where I expect them to be”, if I recall his words correctly. So, he felt justified in selling these strips and gaining a profit. He claimed he did nothing wrong, but the state of Indiana disagreed and filed criminal charges against him.
It’s why I don’t order strips via eBay or Amazon, though they are substantially cheaper than buying them at the local pharmacy.
Oh, BTW, it’s well-known that J&J, Abbott, Bayer, etc do have massive markups on test strips – more so than even jewelry, which is often sold at 10-20xs the wholesale cost (at least to the “little people” like we were). I would be angrier at J&J than at Walgreens, but that’s just me.
Update: We received our strips from ebay, I tested them, and they are all perfect. Whew! Thanks again to all who replied for your insight and suggestions. We really appreciate all your help!
i was on craiglist for my area today and came across this this might be helpful for you
http://yubasutter.craigslist.org/hab/1806867266.html
Abbott does have the Freestyle Promise program, which I use because my copay is $75 for Freestyle strips, and I use the Freestyle Navigator, so I need the strips. That gives you up to $25 off of 50 strips or $50 off of 100 strips (up to a certain amount per year). I am very fortunate, because that lets me get them for $25/month.
Wow, thanks! Going to inquire…
your welcome i read ur blog a couple days ago then came across the ad and remember the pic of your lil girl
hope its a good lead
godbless