BG Meters: Money Matters

When you consider the cost of blood glucose (BG) testing, look not at the meter, but at the test strips. Each strip can cost up to a dollar.

When money matters, insurance comes into the picture. Let’s look at 3 cases: no insurance, regular insurance, and Medicare.

If you are buying your test strips out of pocket, I encourage you to look at meters branded by big chains.  Discount stores, drug stores, and even some grocery stores sell meters with their name on them. These meters (and the test strips they use) are often much less expensive than name brand meters and are usually made by the same companies.

These meters have to meet the same standards of accuracy that any meter does. The drawback is that most of them do not have all the special features of more expensive meters and are probably not the “latest style”.

If you have insurance, definitely go with the covered brand to get the best deal. An insurance provider will usually cover meters from a certain meter company. Within that company, there are different models to choose from.

If you have Medicare, as the rules stand now, you may pick ANY meter you like. Some drug stores and medical supply stores may tell you that you may only pick between one or two meters, because those are the only meters that THEY carry. Find a place that will sell you what you want to buy.

Even if you do have insurance or Medicare, your co-pay may be so high that you will want to look into the generic meters that are available.

So, now we’ve talked about money matters. There are a few other things you’ll want to keep in mind before you head out to shop for your meter. We’ll look at those factors in a post to come.