Good Morning, does anyone know if this is available in the United States yet? Thanks in advance. Nancy 50
Hi Nancy, yes Libre 3 if here! I live in NY and during my 90 day Endo visit the doctor did his usual needling to convince me to use a cgm. Mind you, I had tried the Dexcom yrs ago and hated it. So I replied to him, “when they make a cgm the size of a penny, I’ll consider it”.
His eyes lit up as he told me he had just received 2 samples and I would now be using onefor the next 14 days.
I totally love it because all I need do is look at my phone and see how I’m doing. I find it to be pretty much accurate. I’m a much older gal and would love for Medicare to cover it, but that’s not to be. At least not yet.
I just received 2 sensors (28 day supply) from
Advanced Diabetes Supply in Carlsbad, CA.
Cost was $138. I’ve yet to start a sensor because
I’m still in the end phase (hopefully) of a flu bug and
doubling up my vitamin C. For Libre 3 to work properly, it stated that the person should not be taking more than 500 mg C.
Hope this info helped.
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Hi Jodie, thanks for the response. Interesting information I will pass it on to a friend who asks. Thanks good luck with the new sensor and hopefully Medicare will cover it. I have a 14 day Freestyle libre and I love it. I will be 70 shortly and I’m glad I am able to get this covered.Nancy50
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I tried a sample of Libre 2 because my cde did not have one of 3. The sound alerts were very, very loud and annoying and could not be disbaled on my phone so I would not use it based on that.
I didn’t find it to be any more accurate than dexcom for me and it can’t be calibrated. I can put it in my arm without having any pain though whereas dex hurts my arm.
It was a pain to have to keep scanning it and it had to be done at least twice to get it to scan. Maybe 3 is better.
I think it can be used with the Shuggah ap too maybe.
Hi Nancy, I think that the reason Libre 3 isn’t covered is because no reader is required and probably invalidates Medicare’s guidelines that deem this particular cgm as “durable medical equipment”. So, in essence, I’m paying strictly for the convenience of not having to carry an extra gadget.
Happy to hear that you love the Libre!
If not DME, then it may be covered by insurance as a pharmacy benefit, similar to bg test strips. So may find it under RX formulary.
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Abbott is currently in negotiations for Medicare coverage of the Libre 3. Not sure how long that will take. I was told this by an Abbott rep.
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That would be awesome and I’d be one happy camper!
And with the 3 there is no scanner. It only requires
my phone to touch sensor once upon insertion. So I do think it’s a win/win!
And the alarms on my phone Ap can be lowered.
If there is no receiver available for the Libre3, I do wonder whether it will be covered by Medicare under Part B. If it ends up being covered under Part D pharmacy benefits, it will probably be hugely expensive because I’m sure the drug plans will place it in Tier 3. And that may start an avalanche of CGMs being excluded from Part B which is a scary thought for those of us who pay no OOP cost for Dexcom. Fortunately Dexcom will provide a receiver for the G7 so hopefully we’ll be okay for a while.
The Medicare requirements for DME are outdated and don’t apply well to our increasingly digital age. But revamping Medicare will be a slow, cumbersome, and probably nonsensical process.
I’m in Germany and Libre 3 DOES have a receiver.
I don’t think there was a receiver when Libre 3 was first released, but they came out with this summer.
I got my first batch of Libre 3 sensors last week and there was a receiver included, exactly like the Libre 2, but grey instead of blue.
I’m not sure what the release plan is for the receiver in the US (and I have no idea how the health insurance stuff works in the US 
), but a receiver for Libre 3 definitely exists.
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Great to know. Thanks!
Makes sense, since like other medical apps, there are often limited phones they are compatible with.
So if the reader just magically shows up with the first batch of strips, there’s no need to ask the doc for a separate prescription for it?
Sorry for the confusion.
The reader was included on the prescription for my first batch of FSL 3 sensors. It didn’t magically appear - it was requested.
I’m in Germany, so your experience may vary.
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Just a note, you still can’t calibrate it. But on a Type 1 Talks video he is saying it seems more accurate than previous versions.
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Thank you for all this information. I am loving using the Libre2 sensor with the reader as opposed to blood sticks and I was looking forward to the Libre3. I also tried the app and it needs work. But, if the Libre3 will only work with a phone and does not have a reader and consequently isn’t covered by Medicare this is disappointing news. I have written to Abbott seeking an answer about why the Libre3 reader is not available in the US but no reply.
My pharmacy recently told me that now I am using the Libre2 they won’t supply me with test strips!!! It is ridiculous as the Libre2 doesn’t read accurately during the first 12 hours after inserting. So more out of pocket expenses buying test strips.
Seems like having this disease is work enough without the added stress of having to fight to get medical supplies covered under the only plan available for elderly persons, such as myself. Of course our politicians get to keep their luxury health plans and don’t have to use Medicare- but that is another matter.
Thanks again, for this forum.
Barb
Barb,have you ever tried Walmart test strips? They are reliable and cost effective. I forgot the name,sorry. Nancy50
The brand is Relion. There are different meters, and need to make sure to get right strips for meter.
It really is ridiculous at least some test strips aren’t covered when using a CGM. Dexcom and LIbre both admit you need them to check if things seem “off”. Plus they both admit it can be inaccurate the first 24-48 hours. The Libre of course needs finger sticking more with it as you can at least calibrate the Dexcom. But you need to be able to check both.
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Just activated my first Freestyle Libre 3, but my iPhone won’t read my sensor, saying I don’t have Bluetooth to make my alarms work. (When my iPhone says my Bluetooth is “ON”, but doesn’t show my Libre 3, although it does show my Apple Watch connected). Advice???