Comment

Comment by Wiseguy on August 23, 2010 at 5:11am

I am just under normal family, with only one extra of Physio (as we do lots of sport and getting on) - manchester Unity which is now something else

Comment by Brent on August 23, 2010 at 5:00am

@Wiseguy Do you have extra's or was it cover on just normal private health insurance?

Comment by Wiseguy on August 23, 2010 at 4:58am

Hey Fellow Aussies
I may be a little behind the 8 Ball, but purchased a ACCU-CHEK Mobile after watching the aussie documentry called "sweet talk" all about type 1 and has a website. Anyway the acu-chek mobile is strip free BGL meter - does 50 tests and you change a small cassette - fantastic for me.I used to find strips in the driveway, in the washing machine and you name it there was one lurking around somewhere - now nothing. GREAT STUFF and 100% refunded by health fund ($150)

Comment by rosiesmum on August 11, 2010 at 2:18pm

Oh - and the Optium Exeed BGL monitor is (I think - could be wrong and happy to be corrected) is the only monitor that has the ability to test for BGL's and blood ketones.

Comment by rosiesmum on August 11, 2010 at 2:16pm

I don't think Bianca said anything about strips. My comment was about blood ketone strips that are used with the Optium Exeed BGL monitor - these are not covered by any insurance and are also not yet part of the NDSS. A T1D group was successful in getting the manufacturer, Abbott Pharmaceuticals, to reduce the price of the strips from about $24 for a box of 10 strips to $8.50 but many pharmacies are yet to pass on that price reduction (criminal). So for these particular strips it's best to get them through Diabetes Australia - who charge $8.50 per box for non-members and $7.80 for members. Blood Ketone Strips are strongly recommended for people on insulin pumps because they detect ketones much earlier than regular urine strips - and in the case of T1D kids, they are much easier to use particularly if a child is at school and for some reason their BGL is higher than it should be - they can check for ketones quickly and easily with a finger prick right there in the classroom.

Comment by Susi (Ladalife) on August 11, 2010 at 5:51am

@Mars - isn't it a condition of your Student Visa that you have health insurance? Are you saying that your existing insurance won't cover strips? Which strips do you use?

Comment by Bianca on August 11, 2010 at 2:42am

Thanks very much - both very helpful!

Comment by rosiesmum on August 11, 2010 at 1:58am

Hi Bianca,
Brent's right - apply for your Health Care Card which will help with cost of prescriptions and other things like parking at hospitals (at the hospital we go to we show my daughter's Health Care Card and we have free parking if there under 3 hours or anything over is a maximum of $5 - without the Health Care Card parking there is $7.90 per hour). You have to submit an Insulin Pump Consumables form with the NDSS - this has to be signed by your doctor. You'll need to register with the NDSS anyway and also with Diabetes Australia. You can buy other supplies such as BGL and Ketone Strips through either NDSS or Diabetes Australia - better to get them directly through them because some pharmacies WILL charge ridiculous prices, particularly for Blood Ketone Strips - even though Abbott reduced the price! You might want to check whether the pump you have is available over here and/or whether there is someone here who can service if it you have any problems with it.

Comment by Brent on August 11, 2010 at 1:51am

Well you can apply for your health care card through centerlink and have all your prescriptions for $5 and pump supplies are not free. You gotta register with the NDSS and apply for acsess to the Pump Consumables and they average around $30 a month

Comment by Bianca on August 11, 2010 at 1:11am

Hi, I'm Australian but currently living in the UK - got diagnosed over here about 2 years ago. I'll be moving back to Oz in the next few years - I'm just wondering, what are the costs associated with diabetes over there? I've just started on a pump (yesterday) - the Accu-chek combo bluetooth pump, over here (UK) everything health-wise is free for diabetics including the pump and ANY prescriptions etc. What sort of costs will I be looking at when I get back? Thanks!

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