diebetic supplies

[psilocybin]

i have a one touch ultra smart monitor, and go figure i dont think the strips are covered under trillium. i also want to start on lantus and that isnt covered either. any help with better coverage or cheap supplies?. im in canada

diabetic lol sorry for the typo

[lelggren]

i have a one touch ultra smart monitor, and go figure i dont think the strips are covered under trillium. i also want to start on lantus and that isnt covered either. any help with better coverage or cheap supplies?. im in canada

diabetic lol sorry for the typo

I'm sorry! I've never heard of trillium, but I will do some research and see what I can find out about it. I think that is just sad that insurance companies won't cover diabetes supplies and rx's, especially since diabetes is being found so often lately. I hope you get some good info!

[psilocybin]

any help would be greatly appreciated, the money supply is very limited

[KickStart101]

Hi Psilocybin: Sorry you're having troubles. I've heard of
Trillium but never had them.
I guess you didn't read that far down: under pre-diabetes-,
the forum: Diabetes-I posted an answer to a Thread "Graduating
Soon...." by Maddogg. It refers to him mainly but there are some
sites and info that might be helpful to you also. It is 17 Threads
down.
Also, why don't you phone up your Trillium Insurance and ask
them what strips they do cover(they have to be up to recent)and
then(I don't know what drug store you go to)go to your Drug Store
and ask them for a FREE meter for the strips that Trillium will pay for.
Most Drug Stores give them free to their customers who buy their
meds there. I don't know where you are in Canada but Shoppers
Drug Mart are everywhere in bigger cities. You can also get a free
meter to match what strips Trillium covers from your Endo., CDE,
Dietician, etc. I've never had a problem getting the brand of strips,
meds., etc. from our Insurance Companies. But like I said we never
had Trillium. Good Luck. :)

[stella117]

Have your Dr. write a script for the strips--then maybe the insurance will cover. Also have her write the script to test 5-6 times a day--that's like 200 strips a month. If you only test 3x day, you'll have two months of strips for one month's co-pay.

Contact Aventis--they have a patient assistance program for their drugs.

I'd also call Trillium and get a round down of what is and isn't covered. I don't have Trillium, but I've found the Blue Cross reps very helpful in giving me ways to maximize my benefits.

Good luck!

[rea]

I have blue cross myself. coverage is different in every provincal blue cross. they cover lantus, I know.

I believe they also cover testing supplies if your doctor writes a presription for them, (needles, insulin, test strips, lancelets, etc).

if not, there is a program through some provinces called monitering for health,
that supplements the coverage through your extended health coverage. you pay first, then they reimburse you.

[liz32]

Hi! I'm covered by Sunlife...I beleive they're out of Ontario and they cover anything and everything to do with diabetes. Now, we're in under PSAC (gov't union) so I don't know if this has any bearing on things. I find the coverage great but they are a bit of a pain to get info from. Fortunately, I found a pharmacy who's know how's to deal with them. The other thing is to check with your provincial gov't. Here in Nova Scotia, the gov't has a program to help diabetics without insurance and on a limited income to get their supplies. I hope this helps.
Liz

[psilocybin]

hey guys...
i have recently found out that my college has insurance...50 bucks canadian for a year, and they cover 80% (what a relief). i dont know if they cover lantus, or the strips i need.. i hope so, i am also winning a ebay bid for 100 test strips for 40 bucks canadian just incase. ends today hope no one else bids :tongue:...will post back just incase college insurance doesnt cover them and i need further assistance...thanks guys

[Erin]

When I switch meters I ALWAYS call my insurance company and find out what type of strips they cover. Sometimes insurance companies have deals with specific manufactures that give you a better deal on a specific type of test strips. I now use an Accu-Chek Advantage which isn't my favorite meter in the world, but my insurance has a deal with Roche (the manufacturer of Accu-Chek) so their strips are the cheapest. (There is very little difference between meters... some have more bells and whistles, but as long as you have A meter, it doesn't really matter which one)

It might be in your best interest to do some research and get a different meter. Often if you call the manufacturer they'll mail you a free meter 'cause they make their money off of your strip purchases. (Or they'll have a ridiculous mail in rebate where you get the meter for like $5)

Lantus is new, so i dunno if you'll be able to find that covered... would a pump and pump supplies be covered? If they are, that might be the way to go financially.

[psilocybin]

they cover all strips but only up to 400 bucks a year excluding insulin

[Erin]

well that stinks. I'm outa ideas. how many strips is 400 bucks a year in Canada? In the US it is definitely not enough. Good luck sorting this mess out!

[psilocybin]

this may work out, im about to win 300 test strips on ebay for 80 bucks. i can afford that =]. 400 bucks will probly only give me 4 months not even of test strips, but it quotes "400 bucks per insured per policy year" now you take out a policy per term, theres 2 terms in a year..now does that mean that i get 800 bucks because im taking out 2 policies?

[lgvincent]

Hope you get them!

[psilocybin]

thanks igvincent ..as time goes on im guessing i wont have to test myself nearly as often..is this true? how many times a day do you guys test yourselves? right now im testing myself minimum 4 times a day

[JediSkipdogg]

thanks igvincent ..as time goes on im guessing i wont have to test myself nearly as often..is this true? how many times a day do you guys test yourselves? right now im testing myself minimum 4 times a day

It depends, I test myself about 7 times a day now but have done as many as 15 in a day and as little as 3. As time goes on, the only way you can truely test less is if you get what you eat and everything else you do 100% perfect, which is hard for anyone to truely do. In my time, I've actually increased my testing because I want better control and to know what my numbers are in between other tests.

[psilocybin]

15 strips a day?? wow..i guess i was way off. lol. i need better insurance coverage

[dws]

I usually test 6 to 8 times a day. And maybe rarely 2 to 4 times . :)
When 'things' just go wrong , bad sets/pump burping etc. I might test each hour
don

[psilocybin]

i test 4 times minimum right now..sorry about all the questions im trying my best to make myself feel better about myself, and more comfortable with diabetes. its hard..... especially when i am not insured...allwell. thanks for the feedback

but ya.. sometimes when i feel funny i test myself like 8 times a day. usually they are false alarms. i dont know sometimes i just feel low but im not low