This might seem like a really dumb question, but where do you get your test strips? My new GP gave me a prescription for them (I kept forgetting to ask my endo) and when I gave it to my pharmacist he looked at it strangely. It wasn’t like a normal prescription, maybe it was meant for a medical supply company? They did call me the next day and said they could fill it, 150 strips for $64 is what they said insurance would pay. I’ve been buying them out of pocket from an online place up until now. This is better than what I’ve been paying but still higher than I was hoping. So how do you guys get your strips?
My insurance doesn't pay for strips until I meet my deductible. Since I never meet my deductible I have to pay out of pocket. I'm using the cheapie Walmart strips as that's the best deal I have found.
Until I started Medicare I got my prescriptions from my mail-away pharmacy. They gave me the best deal for 90 days. (900 strips). I paid $40 for awhile till I got my Ping and then to use the meter remote I went out of formulary and had to pay $100 (for 900). Now I get it from CalPersMedicare and I have to go to CVS and they give me a big run around (long story) but it's free.
I strongly encourage you to look in your insurance coverage booklet or call your insurance company to make sure you can't do better.by using mail service perhaps and certainly by getting 90 days. Don't just take the pharmacy's word for it. That is very very expensive!
Yeah this is basically what I do but $25 for 200 strips. I use One Touch Ultra Blues which seem to be one of the most expensive without insurance but the good news is MOST insurance companies do cover them (not all as evidenced by Zoe's post sadly) and it often puts them on the lowest tier/copay (which for me is $25, my insulins also cost $25 :D ) .
My insurance did cover the One Touch, Sensorium, it was just on a higher tier. ($100 for 900, which is actually cheaper than your "lower tier" of $25 for 200!). Now I get it all for free.
What exactly did the GP write on the prescription? and why do you say "It wasn't like a normal prescription"... The things that I think might cause some question are 1)Quantity, 2)Brand, 3)Testing instructions.
Do check with your insurance and see what the coverage is which will tell you what strips are covered and the cost as well as a list of their contracted providers. If you follow the plan, you may save even more.
I get my strips by mail order and it is much easier than going to the local pharmacy because I get a three month refill, and it is cheaper.
I was getting Advocate Redicode from American Diabetes Wholesale online when I was paying out of pocket. They run about $36 for 200. Walmart strips are a tiny bit more maybe. The switched to Redicode plus and I haven't used those though.
It was a two page printout more like a summary with a prescription like blurb on the bottom, I just thought maybe that’s how strip prescriptions looked but the pharmacist seemed confused by it too. I got 3, 50 strip boxes, no refills for $64. Guess I’ll have to contact the insurance co and see how this all works…more confusion about this dang illness:(
Often times our copay is determined by a definition such as “one month supply.” For example my strips cost me $22 every time I refill whether its for 50 or 500 as long as the doctor prescribed that as a one month supply. Other plans have different formulas-- I get mine at a local pharmacy but many plans offer incentives to use their mail order services-- But yeah I agree with Zoe usually all the details of how your prescription coverage works is usually buried in dozens of pages of incomprehensible fine print somewhere. I try to comb my way through to get the basics figured out but usually end up learning the hard way
Okay I thought you said it didn't. But $100 for 900 looks high to me just because $100 for test strips is not what I want to pay unless I absolutely had to D: lol. Sorry , Don't know what that post was about I'm dumb lol.
No problem, sometimes all this math can get confusing!
I second that recommendation, or you can upgrade to its big brother the trueresult which uses the same strips and has a few features the 2go doesn’t like time/date and 7/14/30 day averages. I actually have both and use the true result primarily but the 2go as a backup or if I’m chasing down a spike or something so that multiple tests in the same time frame don’t mess up my averages on the other meter. I actually carry the bigger meter in the case that the 2go fits in. My meter of choice…
My Kaiser co-pay is 30.00 for 200 strips. I'm glad to hear about cheap retail sources, though. I don't trust insurance plans to always come through.
That sounds kind of expensive to me and I'm wondering if your insurance has a mail order pharmacy you can get a 90 day supply from? I now have to get all my D supplies on 90 day supply from Express Scripts, my mail order. But I had already done that for my insulin and my lancets etc. because it was cheaper than the local pharmacies. The strips I was getting elsewhere because ES didn't have them then. It is a $20 copay for around 1400 strips. I also have purchased two Relion brand meters and strips from Walmart as a back up. The meter was about $16 and the test strips are 50 for $9 I think.
Actually, mee---they keep offering me the mail version at discount. I kept refusing because the 40" round trip walk to the pharmacy was the finish of my afternoon exercise for that day----simple and pleasant in my garden-infested neighborhood. But I was in a rut. Things evolve. I shall definitely reconsider these options. Thanks.....Judith in Portland
Wow, so there is certainly not one answer to this question, kind of like all the other issues that deal with this complicated disease. Thanks for the replies, more info to process and figure out…
Nope, we all have different insurance coverage, what you have to figure out is what yours is!
yw! really? lol.. well I would probably take the cheaper one and just go for the walk anyway :)
Wonder in to GP (could call but since it's near to work easy enough just to call in) and ask receptionist for strips, lancets or insulin (can't get pump supplies though, they come direct off the manufacturer). Wait 48hrs. Visit pharmacist, pick up and sign off medical exemption form that I'm D. Fend off the usual stuff off the pharmacist about how they can help by reviewing my prescription and help manage it. Rinse and repeat.
I used to use mail order and was on medicare - right pain.
Now go to pharmacist at local drug store with lot less fuss.
If not on medicare; amazon, american diabetes wholesale can be most helpful and cost saving.