I am a Type 1 diabetic of 57 years with no complications as yet. I am now on Medicare, and of course, they don't want to pay for anymore than 4 strips a day. I have been testing 6-7 times a day and 2-3 times at night. I live by myself and can't feel a reaction coming on. I now have a sensor which has been a big help. You would think Medicare would pay for more strips as in the long run it would probably save them money. I read where some of you get strips from Ebay or Amazon. Do you trust that the strips are good! I guess I am going to have to pay for any I use above the 4 times a day. My Endocrinologist wrote a script for 8-10 x daily and I had to fill forms out but was told that wasn't going to be enough to satisfy Medicare anymore. It's hard when mainly your're living on Social Security.
This is a serious problem, as are the non coverage of CGM's. I wish i had a better solution. I have heard of people wading through the mountain of paperwork to get more strips approved. I am on medicare but have a secondary insurer that covers my strips and who thinks 10 per day are fine. I wish Medicare did the same.
Thanks for all your comments. My doctor has been very helpful but since they changed the rules of test strips from authorized Medicare approved places the first of July, it seems it is even harder to get more than 4 test strips approved per day. Right now they have approved using 4-6 strips daily, but isn't enough. I may check out Needymeds.org. Thanks.
my endo writes a prescription for 15 times dayly testing
just insist & talk to your doc or cde
I've been on medicare for about 2 1/2 years, and I test 8-10 times a day. In order to get enough test strips, I have to fill out a blood glucose log for one complete month (30 days) with my tests, proving how often I test. Medicare requires this to be done once every six months, but they will approved even up to 10 strips a day if you can prove you test that often.
Ruth
I too tell my Endo what I need and he knows I am the one that manages my Diabetes and he goes along with whatever I ask. Like Shoeshana27 says insist and talk to your doc or CDE. Whoever you can get to join you in advocating for you and your Diabetes.
I like the Walmart strips for Relion Prime at $9 for fifty strips.
I hate that medicare is limiting the number of strips that we can get so did some research and forund some relatively low priced strips: Prodgy strips abiut $11.00/50 through Amazon, Relion Prime at Walmart $9.00/50. at those prices, I don't need the hassle of medicare.
I keep reading that Medicare is limiting how many trips we can get..I'd like to know where is it written?