It can be a shock if you’re suddenly diagnosed as having diabetes. You don’t know exactly what to expect. What you do know, however, is that your life is about to change drastically. One of the first things that any diabetic will have to do is to get a handle on which diabetes testing supplies he’ll have to become familiar with.
But finding affordable diabetic testing supplies can be daunting. If you are lucky enough to have insurance, you are most likely covered.
These health plans will normally require that you pay out of pocket co-pays, deductibles, and such. But diabetes is so common now that claims are rarely contested by insurance companies.
However, if you don’t have good private insurance, here are a few tips to help you find the diabetic supplies that you need.
Medicare and Diabetic Testing Supplies
If you are old enough to be eligible for Medicare and are a Medicare Part B enrollee, you are in luck. For diabetes patients, the program will automatically pay for a specified number of test strips, lancets, prescription drugs, blood sugar monitors, and other diabetic testing supplies each month. If your physician can document your need for more extensive diabetic testing supplies, Medicare will up your limit. These limits are subject to change, so to find the most current limits talk either to your doctor or to your local pharmacy.
Cheap Student Health Plans
If you are a student in some schools, check and see if they offer a health plan. If so, see if tha plan covers diabetes. There are some colleges that offer student health insurance plans that are better than traditional private plans. Other student insurance plans may not be as comprehensive as the health plan you’re used to, but most will be quite a bit cheaper and cover the basic health problems. To determine if a school near you offers such a plan, check with the college’s Bursar’s office.
What If You Have No Insurance
When you make your first trip to your local store to purchase diabetic testing supplies, you may be shocked at the prices. Fortunately, these days you are not limited to what you can find at your local retailers. You can often find pretty good discount prices if you are willing to do a bit of searching on the Internet.
This being the Internet, the sites are in constant flux. But it won’t take a lot of effort to find several web stores that sell a wide range of cheap diabetic testing supplies such as glucose test strips, blood glucose meters, syringes, and etc. You’ll also find that many of the diabetes testing supplies are being sold for ten to forty percent cheaper than what you’ll probably pay at your local stores.
What to Do If You Can’t Afford Diabetic Testing Supplies
The government requires that drug companies give a certain amount of drugs to indigent people each year. If you meet the financial requirements and other qualifications, you may be able to get free diabetic supplies and equipment from them. The catch, however, is that the number of these programs are few, they’re hard to get into, and they are a lot of hassle. All the same, they are a valid alternative for many people.
Getting Drugs at Discounts
The website NeedyMeds.com has a directory of local programs across the U.S. that can help those with limited financial sources who need help paying for prescriptions drugs.
The right diabetic testing supplies and equipment is important towards helping you to successfully manage your disease. Whatever you financial situation, don’t despair. There’s help out there somewhere.