I came across this video this morning ... very interesting.
http://fora.tv/fora/showthread.php?t=1142
Sec. Nichoson talks proudly about the success of the VA system and all of the programs they are running. I really think they are doing a lot of good. One point he makes relates to all of the limb amputations they preform. This bothers me since they limit access of T2 diabetics to a very small number of test strips they recieve thereby limiting knowledge of daily ongoing sugar levels. I and all type 2 diabetics in the VA system are forced to go to the open market to buy strips if we are really motivated to manage our sugar levels with daily testing. I've been told that the VA wants to rely on the A1c test only, which will allow for high sugar levels to exist for three plus months before some diagnosis and action might be taken. I've been in the VA system for a while and have attended their nutritional training classes and noticed they neglect to teach diabetics how to respond to their daily testing numbers in part due to the lack of faith in T2 diabetics to respond to or modify their behavior. Seems to me that this could account for in part for the high number of amputations mentioned in Mr Nicholsons comments. I think access to equipment is essential for diabetics or major health problems and high costs are inevitable. Mr. Nicholson please change this policy now. Vets deserve better. We need access to more test strips. Testing one time every 3 days isn't enough.
Other Veterans are concerned too. Check out this one.