I got a new monitor from Walmart (wallyworld). I got the Ascencia countour from Bayer. With the $50 rebate it was free. But…the test strips cost about $1 each. I found a few websites that brings it down to about .50 to .60 cents. I was using Reli-on monitor and strips and it was only costing me $21.95 for 50 strips. I like my new monitor but not the new price for the strips. What are everybody’s take on this??? I’m working but no benefits so I guess I can’t get Medicare for now. Or can I? This is getting to be an expensive disease.
LOL! I am digging the title! Medicare not sure you will be able to get because you prob make too much money for Medicare and Medical. Can you get a cobra insurance??? Have you tried going to a free clinic or calling the maker of your supplies to see if they can put you on a FH program??
Hope this helps
Cherise
I tried Cobra and it got too expensive. can’t get regular because of per-existing conditions. Whats PH???
Ima so ignunt (not mispelled).
Financial Hardship…I don’t understand why anEmployeer would provide health insurance to their employee’s that have pre-existing clause’s
Looks like your options are (1) mail-order strips, preferrably in bulk (you can usually get the best discounts if you’re willing to buy 300 strips or more at the time); (2) return to the Reli-On meter; (3) see if the Precision Xtra meter will work with the Reli-On branded strips (they are in theory the same meter); (4) look for another “off-brand” meter with cheaper strips.
I use the Reli-on meter and have found it just as accurate as other meters out there including ones used at my doctors’ offices. I have no insurance and when I did they didn’t cover strips and only covered like $50 of a prescription…uh huh…I use around 3 bottle of Humalog a month and 2 bottles of Lantus a month. Thank the goddess for prescription assistance.
Cherise
Yes,it is strips cost that hold the good control of my patients who can’'t afford it.After struggle& convincing,my hospital supply a box with each prescription for diabetic children only.
I get my strips from Health Warehouse (a sponsor of this site) for about .50 apiece, which is about the same price as the generic strips from the drug stores.
Employee-provided health insurance is usually a group-based policy. In group-based policies the employee or spouse cannot be denied for pre-existing conditions. If you have had a 6-month or more lapse in coverage, you can be required to wait up to 6 months to file insurance claims for pre-existing conditions, but that’s it. During that waiting period you can be treated for new conditions (such as the flu, a broken arm, etc) – just no diabetes treatments.
I think it depends on the state, the company, and the insurance.
One issue one of my former employers had with the annual shop-around for the next year’s health insurance was that all insurers were willing to insure all but one or two employees, and none were willing to insure that last employee. In the end the company had to use a mixture of insurance and reinsurance: use its own funds to provide health insurance, administered through a traditional health insurance company.
Other companies might have let that one employee remain uninsured; still others will not hire someone who cannot be insured under their current plan (though they will obviously come up with other reasons not to hire, that cannot be taken for discrimination under EEOO, ADA, or any other regulation).
I believe that employer-provided insurance is now required by state law in most US states, if the employer has more than a given number of employees – and they are not allowed to accept policy bids that exclude high-risk or high-cost members.
The lapse in coverage in the case of pre-existing conditions can result in up to 18-24 months’ lack of coverage for anything related to those pre-existing conditions (for example, having to pay for 18 months’ insulin, test strips, infusion sets, etc. out of pocket). I believe this depends in part on state law and in part on the employer’s insurance policy.