I guess I did not appreciate having insurance to cover my Dexcom sensor cost until I lost that insurance. Now I have to pay $351 a box for them…don’t think I will be able to afford that for very long. Sigh…
I guess you bought those from your supplier & not directly from Dexcom? They are on the Dexcom site for $275 a box. You should buy them from there - they will be cheaper for you.
I know exactly what you are talking about. I had Anthem BCBS till the end of February and then Hubby’s insurance changed March 1 to United Health Care with a $1000 deductible (meaning not one dime of durable medical equipment will be paid until either $1000 is paid and then it would be $2500 for family if someone has to have surgery, etc.).
Anywho… Recently, I did A LOT of calling around… I found that for ONE box of sensors (one box only)…
A) Dexcom charges $275 (if not using health insurance) PLUS $28 for shipping and handling PLUS an extra fee for taxes depending on what state you live in.
B) Edgepark charges a total of $323.80 for a box of sensors (with insurance) and includes shipping/handling.
C) Mini Pharmacy charges $468.00 (YIKES!!!)
just wait… it gets WORSE!!!
Option…
D) Better Living Now charges $571.00 for a box of sensors.
I found out within just 5 days of not wearing a sensor how dearly much I truly need my Dex at all times. After wearing Dex since May, 2009, I had not woken up in a pool of sweat during the night (due to low low low blood sugar level) and just within the 5 days of not wearing Dex, I woke up in a pool of sweat and had a low of 36 that I didn’t feel. I really thought that maybe one day I could survive without Dex but I’m finding I truly need Dex at all times. I also found that without Dex I was averaging my finger sticks at 14+ times per day… I am back to being able to work out at the maximum (which I don’t dare do without Dex with my hypoglycemia unawareness… I still don’t have the ability to act differently at 36 compared to a level of 100.)
Good luck on getting sensors. I wish the health insurance companies could really understand what a lifesaver a Dexcom is to people around us (who are driving on the roads). Hubby is less fearful while I have Dex on (he feels more confident that I along with our 3 kids are safe both at home and in the car while I am driving).
I feel your pain… our deductible is $2500… so essentially I pay out of pocket for my sensors (and pump supplies) right now. The only stuff that is “covered” is what I am eligible to get under pharmacy, which essentially is just testing supplies and insulin.
My insurance has a contracted price of $299 and some change for a box of sensors so that’s all I pay (which it sounds like may end up cheaper than the cash price?), but it’s still a huge bummer. It’s one reason I aim to wear every sensor for at least 2 weeks, if not longer.
If I wear them for 2 weeks that cuts my cost in half… $150 a month is more feasible than $300. Wearing them for 3 weeks cuts it into a third… and makes a box of 4 sensors last 3 months 
I still had some leftover from last year so I’ve only just bought my second box of sensors this year.
I should clarify my post. My husband’s employer changed insurance companies and of course the plan that he chose for his small company of less than 30 employees is ‘bare bones’ (basically he is complying with the law that requires him to provide health insurance if you have more than 20 employees). Since I ‘technically’ have insurance with a $5000 deductible, Dexcom is required to charge me the contracted price with that company. I get to apply my out of pocket costs toward that deductible, but that will probably not do me any good.
I also have hypo unawareness and my last low was 39 and that is with the Dexcom sensor. I did not hear the Dexcom beeping as I am deaf in one ear and have limited hearing in the other. And they wonder why Seniors are depressed? I really think no one cares at all.
Can you just purchase the sensors from Dexcom without going through insurance? I am doing that for my thyroid medication. If I order it through my prescription plan’s mail away pharmacy, I have to pay $15 for a 90 day supply. Instead, I get them from the pharmacy department of my local supermarket for $11.10 for a 90 day supply outside of insurance. I don’t like using more than one pharmacy because of potential drug interactions, but I also don’t want to pay more than I have to. I bring a list of all medications with me to my doctors to lessen the possiblity of a problem.
That doesn’t really help the cost - as someone else posted above, they are already cheapest through Dexcom directly. The insurance contracted rate is likely less than the cash price (when you figure in shipping + tax).
While that may save “some” money it’s still a lot to pay for sensors… it’s as much as a car payment, basically.
Well the latest news is that the list cost for a box of sensors directly from Dexcom has gone up 16% recently ($319 from $275). I have been telling my Diabetic friends that don’t have a Dexcom not to worry that the cost of sensors should go down as more people start using it but now I am not so sure? One sure way to drive down cost is hopefully we have some more competing products and technologies coming soon.