Less Expensive Blood Glucose Testing System

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Permalink Reply by Kelly on September 12, 2009 at 8:34pm

Hi Michael. Thanks for letting us know there's a cheaper alternative out there.

I'd like to believe that test strips cost so much because those little microchips on them make them expensive to manufacture, but I think it works the way the video game industry works -- take a loss on the gaming machine to make money selling games in perpetuity. That's why they're always giving meters away for free with the purchase of 100 test strips. You find one you like and you're hooked!

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Permalink Reply by Michael Park on September 13, 2009 at 1:05am

*UPDATE*
I asked my pharmacist today and got a reasonable answer:
Insurance companies do not cover the cost of machines - likely because they are almost all free from the companies with purchase of the 100 strips. Since the cheap 50-strips come with the meter, they can't be covered because it is listed as a meter.
Ironically, if I wanted to buy more strips for that meter, 50 strips without the meter costs $37 rather than $29!

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Permalink Reply by Anna Kiff (FatCatAnna) on September 13, 2009 at 9:49am

Hey Michael - just curious. Here in QC - if you don't have private medical insurance - you can go on the government plan - where I believe you pay a certain percentage with a deducible added on. Do they not have something like that in Ontario? Also, remember keep your receipts for any medical expenses that come out of your pocket and apply those to your federal income tax.

Stay healthy!

Anna from Montreal - aka FatCatAnna - Trials and Tribulations of a Diabetic

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Permalink Reply by Michael Park on September 13, 2009 at 5:55pm

Thanks Anna,
Of course they have programs like that in every province. I am covered by that program in Ontario, BUT there has been a big mistake with my file and so I'm paying out of pocket while that gets fixed. During this time, I've also moved to Vancouver, so I need to wait 3 months before I can get covered by the similar plan here.
I'm not trying to complain about my situation as I realize it is very unusual. It's simply interesting to point out the things that one notices when they are in odd situations.

best,
Michael

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Permalink Reply by nel peach on September 29, 2009 at 9:34pm

Michael .,....how are you making out in our beautiful BC ...we have not heard from you for over 1 month ??!!

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Permalink Reply by Michael Park on September 29, 2009 at 9:44pm

Nel,
Thanks for your concern!
I'm doing well and I'm loving BC!
I finally got my drug shipment from Ontario, so I can ignore this stress for a while. I'm in the process of applying to the BC Health program.
Everything life and diabetes-wise is going rather well, so no complaints from me!

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Permalink Reply by nel peach on October 1, 2009 at 9:53pm

Good to hear you are all set ...where are you now in BC ??

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Permalink Reply by Carol Coombes on September 15, 2009 at 7:57am

The Canadian Diabetes Association also has a programme that will cover up to 75% of some of the D supplies. Try them.

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Permalink Reply by Steve on October 14, 2009 at 6:04am

I'm using this program myself in Ontario. It's callled the monitoring for health program. They reimburse you 75% up to $820. They also reimburse for meters depending. They pay out once per year. You have to keep the register receipts, get a written receipt from the pharmacy and there's a one-time application to fill out. You also need your application signed by a physician.

You can get more info here:

http://www.diabetes.ca/get-involved/programs-entry/ontario-monitori...

I think they cover other provinces as well and there should be some links on the site too.


There's some good review info about meters and strips here:

http://glucosemeters.blogspot.com/

Hope it helps someone...

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Permalink Reply by Grant Buchan-Terrell on October 24, 2009 at 6:20pm

Michael: I think you've made some excellent points, and I thank you for raising them. The more I measure, the more I'm in control, the less I will cost the system from progressive effects, and the more I spend out of my pocket. It gets very expensive, as you point out, if you're monitoring closely. I'm a t2d, w/no insurance (self-employed) and I only get the benefit of the CDA partial reimbursement. I just heard of that program this year, 11 yrs after my diagnosis! I'm trying to lose some serious weight, so I'm measuring about 3-6 times a day.

Strips are a profit centre for the big drug cos. on the equipment side - drugs make more money, but strips are lucrative. They cost us about $1 a piece - why? Simply because the drug cos. can get $1 each covered by HMO's in the US. The technology in strips hasn't materially improved since I started using them in 98! Oh sure, they've revamped the meter, the lancet thing, and made other minor cosmetic enhancements, but nothing of substance has been developed in all that time. Strips likely cost about 10 cents or less to make. Funny how there's no competition out there on price! I have personal knowledge that there's a lively system of backsheesh at the pharmacy level as the majors fight over shelf space and which meter the pharmacist recommends - shall we say "soft commissions"?. As another member stated, once you're on one meter, you are then hooked on their strips - that's where the money is for the makers, the distributors and the pharmacies.

Where's the r & d to develop a continuous monitoring system that is non-invasive? There was that blood sugar monitor like a watch, but I think it failed tests for accuracy. There's little incentive for the drugs cos. to develop such a system or device - they like us coming back over and over and over for more strips.

Strips are a rip-off, plain and simple. In my view, in Cda., they should be 90% covered by medicare because they clearly contribute so much to better control - many studies have shown that. You can't fool the meter, it keeps you onside.

So, I am glad to see you raise this very key issue. It is a key cost issue. It is a key control issue. All countries are struggling with the diabetes epidemic and spiralling health costs - well, strips are much, much cheaper than dialysis! Thanks again for your ex. comment, gbt

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Permalink Reply by nel peach on October 24, 2009 at 10:21pm

Grant . there is more to diabetes than poking your finger ...what do you do with the info is one thought , what does one do to maintain a healthy weight another thought ...finger poking million times a day does not help one loose weight , if your weight is excessive or gain if you are underweight .
A totally different story besides keeping BG in control . It would be wonderful if poking more , rather than less would make one loose weight ...maybe you can invent and share ??
I have been known to waist a strip here and there over the years , because I was not focused on what I was doing
( don't tell my Doc , OK ?) .
The Gluco watch never made it into Canada ...it just did not work .

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Permalink Reply by Grant Buchan-Terrell on October 25, 2009 at 2:16pm

Nel, you and I are bound for some diabetes debates. What could you possibly mean by saying "there's more to diabetes than poking your finger" ? In fact, more and more studies demonstrate that frequent monitoring really makes a positive difference in acquiring and maintaining control. I didn't say testing was "everything", I said, and I hold to the view, that with t2ds who don't have pumps, that testing is very, very important to control. Also, why extrapolate to a ridiculous degree to make a weak and indeed, invalid point? "finger poking a million times a day does not help one lose weight..." That's called reductio ad absurdum (excuse my latin spelling), which is to exaggerate to make a point, considered to be invalid logic.

Re-reading my comment above, I'm trying to figure out why you felt compelled to comment about testing vis-a-vis weight loss - I guess my short statement about testing 3-6 times since I'm trying to lose weight. But since you raised it, let's talk about it. You are so wrong about the relationship between testing and weight loss, for t2ds at least. When I measure before a meal, then 2 hours after, and then first thing in the morning, it helps me make good food decisions at every point, it exposes mistakes and reinforces good practices. It is a direct relationship, not "a totally different story".

You seem to have missed the main point of my comment which is that the strip business is a rip off on t2ds, and if costs were competitive or new tech came in, it would be good for t2ds. I'm doing OK financially, but for many t2ds, strips are too expensive to test as much as they should to maintain better control. If one in 10 strips fail, that's a real nice boost to the strip maker's revenues when you're dealing with milllions of strips. So, what the heck if each kind of strip has its own quirk - too much blood, not enough blood, too slow, too fast - the diabetic will assume they screwed up the test, so there's no need for the makers to make the strips more forgiving and of better quality.

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