I have a script written for test strips for 12 times a day for a 90 day supply. I only received 900 strips. I then began to question why I only got 900 and found out that a tech put it in wrong. The pharmacist then changed it to a 1000 test strips and I was wondering why I couldn't get the other 80 that I was due. She told they can only give me boxes of a 100 and can't go over that amount. I was also told that I was the only customer that checks my bg this much. Is this the general idea of the public that we should guess what our bg is instead of being sure. Why are they allowed to count out pills but not test strips?
That is definitely annoying and the fact that we have to fight for testing strips is ridiculous, even from an economic point of view: we cost the system a lot less if we're well managed. I get 10 a day which gets me 9 boxes of 100 for the 3 month supply, so I've never dealt with the "less than a box thing" and actually never have heard of anyone else who has. You would think they would at least break up a box to give you 1050 or 1075 depending on whether it's packaged in 50 or 25 containers.
My understanding is that doctors can write override letters for insurance limitations, but it sounds like your doctor isn't the problem, the tech and finally the pharmacy is.
As for them telling you that you are the "only customer that check his bg that much" I would probably tell them then you are the only customer with a doctor who gets it and an A1C that shows it! Idiots!
By the way I understand the general frustration of incompetence. I've been working on getting two of my meds for 2 weeks through a series of snafus. Very frustrating and angry making. In my case it's caused mostly by the auxilliary personnel at the clinic I go to. I'm thinking of writing the doctor a letter to let him know about this. Perhaps you should bring your doctor into it as well. Pharmacies take note when doctors get irrate because their prescriptions are not being followed.
You may be their only customer that tests that much. I interpret the inference from that remark to imply that you should be happy with your 1000 strips. I would resent that remark. That issue exists solely between you and your doctor.
To solve this problem, just get your doctor it increase the daily test number to make the arithmetic work. The quantity you really want is 1100. So, 1100/90 = 12.22 times per day. Round up to 13 times per day and you will get 1100 strips.
My doctor writes a script to test 16 times per day, so I get a 90 day quantity of 1400.
I think more testing usually means better control and safety. I get touchy when anyone tries to ration the number of strips that I use. I can easily prove with my BG meter that I use all the strips that the doctor orders.
The rationing of strips is just absurd, especially for anyone (T1 or T2) who uses insulin. On one hand, we're held liable if we don't test before doing something like getting behind the wheel of a car. BUT, then we're not given the amount of test strips we need to test in such instances. It makes NO SENSE!! I understand the economics of it, I really do, but it's not like I don't pay for these things even with insurance. My co-pay is currently $230 every three months assuming I test 8-10 times a day. I think my insurance allows for a maximum of 8x/day and then I have to pay out of pocket for anything over that (which I do in order to stay safe and keep others around me safe).
And the more I test, the better my control is, which means that I will stay healthier longer and cost my insurance (and society) less in the long-run.
I know others who have had the same problem with pharmacies "shorting" them test strips because the count doesn't work out right. My brother has also had this happen to him with insulin pens - they shorted him an entire box of insulin pens because the prescription as written would have required them to split a box and they won't do that....so they just short a diabetic insulin? He had to go back to the doctor and get him to rewrite the prescription.
Like we don't have enough to deal with....