When I was using the dex5 medicare authorized strips finally but now with the dex6 they won’t. They say they are the same. Well I need some strips for when their technology fails or the parts don’t arrive. Any feedback on this???
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I purchase 100 Contour strips on Amazon for about $20. They last forever, as I rarely question my Dex. It’s been very accurate. You can also go the Walgreens or Walmart route for cheap meters and strips.
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Yup, buy a few vials of strips unless you have some left over from your dex5 days. Most people on Medicare Dexcom use Contour Next One strips and they are available pretty reasonably through a variety of ecommerce websites
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I would definitely want some strips. I still use the G5 and need to use strips all the time. It will take quite a while for me to trust the G6. I will definitely be checking it.
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I think medicare plans differ, especially Advantage plans. Since strips are no longer “bundled” (as with G5, thus covered as DME), some get strips covered as RX/Part D plan. But usually with additional notes from doctor and documented logs turned in. Doctor may note that in your case, the numbers are not accurate at all times, and you may have symptoms of pending lows/highs that don’t match dexcom. Thus BG checks are required.
If you are on Gov. Blue Cross. You can get stop of nothing. They send 200 at a tome plus a new meter. Even though I have a G6 I still calibrate at least thee time a day
I’ve been on the Medtronic system for years and always needed strips but with insurance the Contour strips were too expensive so I bought them out of pocket on Amazon. Now on Medicare and a Medigap plan, thus far I’ve gotten 3 orders of Contour strips. I’ve had the Dexcom G6 for a few months and just got my TSlim pump with Control IQ. With the G6 I might calibrate once after inserting a new sensor and that usually straightens the sensors out for the remaining 10 days. I’m not exactly sure if I can get my strips refilled again but I have enough boxes to hold me quite a long time because I’ve always hoarded supplies. I’m so incredibly tired of finger sticks for the last 30 years. This morning with the G6 and TSlim Control IQ, I don’t have to calibrate before my morning bolus. That’s the first time since I started using a pump 21 years ago! It is so very sweet! Hallelujah!
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Probably 5 out of 7 days a week I don’t use blood meter at all. Sometimes if I see a high or low that I’m not sure about I’ll double check with a finger stick. Also the first day I put on a new Dexcom sensor I might double check numbers that are suspect.
I always carry my blood meter with me or in the car just in case I need it but Dexcom is what I use for 99% of my decisions.
Before Dexcom I was using 10 strips per-day (new type 1). I hated never feeling like I knew if it was OK sugar wise. Having constant readings from Dexcom has been the best life improvement since diagnosis.
My insurance covers dexcom with prior auth paper work from Endo. They also cover 4 strips per-day.
I think its criminal that without a CGM 4 readings per-day is considered enough.
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It’s not that I don’t trust the Dexcom. But I still use my meter a couple times a day and recalibrate the Dexcom.
Reading between the two some times meet exactly ,other times it will very +/- 20-30 points.At this time it’s just a personal thing to me.
But however you handle it. Check it it with your Endo Doc.
Wow thanks lots everyone. I never thought of amazon. I use contour next strips and don’t need many as the dex6
is pretty accurate. I hoard these supplies too and finally went through all the ones I had when using the dex5. I sure don’t miss finger sticks
and life is better with the dexcom as I am prone to lows and can’t always tell.
Early on with the Dexcom I would calibrate but after a few years I have a different opinion.
I think calibrations should be avoided.
- The first day of a new sensor don’t calibrate at all
- Don’t calibrate unless the dexcom is consistently off by the same amount in the same direction.
- If the dexcom is on average off by 10 or less its not worth calibration
Example Dexcom is reading around 20 high all the time compared to meter.
Because the Dexcom is using an algorithm and projecting your blood sugar when you have fast rises and fast falls its more likely to be off. When your sugar is level its more likely to be accurate.
Extra calibrations actually lead to getting worse results from the dexcom.
If your dexcom is off by more then 50 points more than a few times I would request a new sensor.
This is just based on my experience, maybe others have witness different trends in the meter vs dexcom results.
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I agree. I seldom calibrate the dex6. Over operating gets things swinging. It seems that the dex6 is slower to respond
to corrections. Last night it woke me with a low alarm and I did 15 grams of carbs but it didn’t turn for quite awhile and I
went back to bed. I checked with the Bayer and there was about a 20 point difference. No calibration needed.
I think I have used less than 10 strips over the past year. I just don’t see any need to test. The sensor and pump just does its thing. I of course have used a strip once in awhile when I am in the warmup period but that is it. So I now have strips that have expired but I would probably just order a box online when I need more. My insurance company has once again changed the strips they pay for and of course it is a company I have never heard of, so I will just get my Contour strips from Amazon when I need my next box.
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yes, Amazon!
ExpressMed is typically lower priced than Amazon for Contour Next strips. I only calibrate if it’s reading high or low by 30% on the first day. That’s the biggest best change of Dexcom G6 combined with TSlim. Also I might check during the warm up time. I always bring a meter with me because CGMs can lose signal or can malfunction .
I came to detest calibrating twice a day. To qualify for the Dexcom for Medicare I had to do 4 finger sticks a day for several months. I’ve been using a CGM since 2008, but all those records mean nothing to Medicare. I’ve had diabetes for 55 years and I had to get a C-Peptide test twice. REALLY??? I’ve been on an insulin pump for twenty years. Oh well. I have callouses on both sides of all my fingers except my thumbs.