Today’s question comes from a concerned child of a diabetic… Read on:

Question: My dad has cut his testing down to twice a week to save on his test strips since they are expensive for him. He was testing daily. Perhaps testing twice a week is sufficient. His doctor said it would be fine. His blood sugar stays pretty stable, but in the past, has had problems with it being too high. He has Medicare, AARP supplement insurance, and goes to the VA clinic for appts. Is there a way to get test strips at a reduced rate? I thought his insurance would pay for them or partially at least, but he is buying them himself. I am considering sending him some money to help pay on them, if the doctor says he ever needs to be checking it more often. So how safe is it that he is only checking twice a week? I’m not impressed with his doctor, so I hope he is being honest with my dad on testing twice a week asw being fine. Anyone with diabetes that could advise?

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This is What You Need to Do: Click Here

Answer: Wow, I really feel for your (and his) situation.

Listen, this is what you need to do:

The doctor has to write a prescription. if the doctor writes a prescription specifically stating to check blood sugar twice a day, the insurance will give your father 60 strips a month. alot of time it is a pain in the butt for people to run around and get scripts. have the doc write a script for ‘diabetic supplies’ including how many lancets, strips, and needles (if used) are used a month. the only thing insurance wont pay for is alcohol wipes (they are cheap anyway) and medicare pts can get a new meter every 5 years, but usually its better to just get your own meter (they aren’t much, the companies make 90 percent of their money off the strips) have the doc write on the script the type of meter it is, get a new script to match a new meter. Insurance pays for strips!!! Now of course if your dad doesn’t have a script, he will have to buy them, you should even have the doc write to check sugar three times a day and he will have extras. If your dad uses insulin he needs to check at LEAST twice a day. If he is on orals, once a day in the am before meals, if he is good for a long time then once or twice a week is ok with some docs but I would watch it closer. The best option for you is to check out ClickOnHealth.

From what I’ve researched, it’s exactly what you’re looking for.  You can get a free meter, and they’ll work with your dad (and his insurance) when it comes to getting diabetes test strips. All you have to do is fill out the form & send it in and get a FREE Glucose Monitor.

Technorati Tags: diabetes, Diabetes Test Strips, diabetes testing supplies

Another Good Question From Yahoo Answers:

Where is a good place to find inexpensive testing supplies if you are either too young for medicare and/or don’t have health insurance?

Any other advise would be greatly apprieciated. I was resently dianosed boarder line. I’ve started using Splenda and have changed my diet, but what else can I do?
I’ve gotten past most of the panic. I’ve been seeing a wonderful doctor who answers my question and have friends with worse cases. None of them know were I can get my testing supplies at a better price. I don’t make enough of health insurance but too much of government help. I’m only 30 so I don’t qualify for medicare. This is getting expensive, but I can’t not have it.

Good Answer: A lot of hospitals and county health departments have programs for no or low cost supplies, as well as outreach programs for diabetes education. Additionally, some drug companies have patient prescription assistance programs. Contact the company that manufactures your strips and lancets, medications, etc., and ask. It doesn’t hurt to ask.

Best Answer: I live in San Francisco, and we have a great program called Wellness SF, where they take your earnings into account. Specifically, those of us who are right in the doomed ’sweet spot’ of healthcare. We can’t afford regular health care, and we make too much to get Medicaid.

Like the answer above, check your local hospital or free clinic & see what their recommendation is. Either way, you definitely want to check out:

ClickOnHealth
 

They’re a cool site where they can set you up with a free monitor - All you have to do is fill out the form & to get free testing supplies. Sign up Now!

Technorati Tags: diabetes, Diabetes Test Strips, diabetes testing supplies

FDA is alerting healthcare professionals and patients about counterfeit blood glucose test strips which are being sold for use with various models of LifeScan’s One Touch blood glucose monitors. LifeScan says that its testing of the counterfeit strips shows erratic test results. These strips could give incorrect blood glucose values, either too high or too low, which might result in a patient taking either too much or too little insulin. This could lead to serious injury or death.

The counterfeit test strips have been identified as certain lots labeled as “One Touch Ultra” or “One Touch Basic/Profile”. To date, the counterfeit product has been limited to 50-count packages for both products.

For the 50-count packages of One Touch Ultra test strips, the counterfeit version will have all three of the following characteristics:

• Lot Numbers 2691191 or 2691261
• Multiple languages - the outer carton is in both English and French.
• No NDC number (normally located on the bottom of the outer carton for US product)

For the 50-count packages of One Touch Basic/Profile test strips with lot numbers 272894A, 2619932 or 2606340, the counterfeit version will have the following characteristics:

• Multiple languages - the outer carton is in English, Greek and Portuguese.
• No NDC number (normally located on the bottom of the outer carton for US product)

For the 50-count packages of One Touch Basic/Profile test strips with lot numbers 2615211 or 227078A, the counterfeit version will have the following characteristics:

• Only English appears on the outer carton.
• Counterfeit vial is labeled “plasma calibrated.”

The counterfeit test strips were distributed to pharmacies and stores nationwide, but primarily in Ohio, New York, Florida, Maryland and Missouri. Consumers who have the counterfeit test strips should stop using them, replace them immediately and contact their physician. Health care professionals should alert patients who use these test strips about the possibility of counterfeiting. Pharmacists and retailers should check their inventories routinely. For additional information, contact LifeScan at 1-866-621-4855.

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Technorati Tags: Counterfeit, diabetes, FDA, glucose, LifeScan, One, Patient, Safety, Strips, Test, Touch

FDA is aware of cases where patients have used LifeScan OneTouch Ultra test strips with their Abbott Precision Xtra blood glucose meters. As a result, the meters recorded lower-than-expected blood glucose levels, which can have serious clinical consequences. This problem is not limited to just these two products. Using the wrong strip in any brand of blood glucose meter could result in erroneous readings, or no readings at all. Instruct diabetic patients who use blood glucose meters to use only the strips recommended for that particular meter. The owner’s manual for each meter specifies which strips are suitable. As an additional check, the instructions with the test strips identify the meters that are compatible with those strips. FDA Patient Safety News: May 2008 For more information, please see our website: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/psn/transcript.cfm?show=75#9

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Technorati Tags: blood, diabetes, error, FDA, glucose, meter, strip, sugar