A box of 10 Sensors in Ireland costs in the region of €1,800, yes one thousand eight hundred euro. I have researched them on a US website and for the same box of 10 sensors you pay $380. That’s a quarter of the cost for the exact same item.
Can I fly over and buy them in the US with a prescription or UPS them to Ireland and if so do I have to pay duty or taxes?
Due to the current economic climate our health system no longer provides sensors or the only option is to buy them, but not at €1,800 a box. Unless of course someone would like to sponsor me??
Can anyone shed any light on purchasing from abroad, etc??
I know if you have a valid prescription, you can simply buy them from the Medtronic website. I’m not sure about duties or taxes, but there must be something like that at play if the discrepancy is so large. I can’t imagine Medtronic would have simply decided to charge you more because you live in Ireland.
Perhaps you could have a friend here in the states with a sensor prescription purchase them for you and send them over?
Jason,
Thanks for the information. Have looked into VAT here through customs and there’s none.0%! A buddy of mine has a Doctor friend in the States so will contact him re:prescription. The cost is unreal here. very few people with diabetes in Ireland use the pump. Sensors are a massive luxury so there’s no mass market for sensors and even less now as the Government Health Board are no longer issuing them, or pumps. Economic climate etc