Didn't realize just how much te$t $trip$ were expen$ive!

[CarrieOakey]

I was lucky to be given a meter and test strips by someone who switched to another kind. They lasted me for a long while.

Today got strips for the meter and... $292.36 cdn for 400 test strips. Pardon?

Good thing I have insurance!

What do people do when they don't have insurance....? I just didn't realize how expensive test strips are. They are VITAL to good control. A person needs to test!

I'm still in shock.

[ramon]

i is a ripoff, and I bet they only cost a nickle to produce. There must be something that could be done?. I went over some of my old hospital statements not to long ago and one place charged $28 for a band aid, cmon man.

[peachieone]

Actually, that is not as much as I pay for mine...more like 86 cents each - and I do not have insurance. I can submit them with my taxes though - at least that is something. I likely would test more often if they weren't so costly. Diabetes is EXPENSIVE!

[CarrieOakey]

Diabetes is EXPENSIVE!

I do believe that diabetes would be le$$ expensive in the long run if there was better prevention, better control (can't do it without testing!), better education, and better support for people with diabetes.

I'm sorry to hear you don't have insurance

Ramon, $28 for a Band-Aid? At that price I would expect Brad Pitt to put it on me

[Chef Barrae]

I was lucky to be given a meter and test strips by someone who switched to another kind. They lasted me for a long while.

Today got strips for the meter and... $292.36 cdn for 400 test strips. Pardon?

Good thing I have insurance!

What do people do when they don't have insurance....? I just didn't realize how expensive test strips are. They are VITAL to good control. A person needs to test!

I'm still in shock.

Well, from someone who has no insurance, ME, I'll tell you that's not a bad price for 400 test strips, believe it or not! I have to shell out $100+ for 100 strips and that doesn't last very long. I pay a dollar a piece for something that probably does cost a nickle to produce, like Ramon said. Sad, isn't it?

[CarrieOakey]

Very sad.

How come supplies like that cost a fortune? I mean they are vital to help a person manage their illness so they stay healthy for as long as they can. $1 each strip. It's too much!

[ramon]

Very sad.

How come supplies like that cost a fortune? I mean they are vital to help a person manage their illness so they stay healthy for as long as they can. $1 each strip. It's too much!

I am very pro American, my country right or wrong, however this seems to be the American way of life. Profit at any ones expense. If you were to ask the corporations why? they would tell you " so we can research the for the cure" Yeah right.

[Dougster]

Most likely it's a combination of a few things recouping their research costs, quality control, testing, and liability insurance, not to mention profits. Plus you figure they almost all toss in the meter for free. But hey, we all know about "bundling" don't we?

Imagine if a bad batch got released and several hundred, if not thousand diabetic people ended up in the hospital (or worse).

I have called the folks at OneTouch regarding my UltraSmart meter and they record every conversation. They at each stage of your questions ask, "Did the meter or strip cause an undesireable or adverse effect on you or your health?" ...to that effect anyway, and there is NO way you can get out of the conversation without answering that scripted question at least three times. I tried to sidestep their customer service flowchart, but she would NOT continue without an answer.

Now, do you think they ask that because they simply care or because they are recording you saying you were not hurt or had any medical issues as a direct result of using their meter or strip to establish a defense should you sue? Having worked in the past as an insurance defense investigator for about a decade, I think the latter.

Imagine the monitary devistation that could be incurred by the company by someone getting a bad meter, or box of strips, and then treating thinking they are Hyper (or are still hyper upon retesting) and taking so much insulin that they go Hypo with extreme or deadly consiquences.

[zakksmom]

Have you tried ebay>

[Chef Barrae]

Can you trust buying something like that on eBay? I don't know how comfortable I would be. Have you done it before?

[inkvisitor]

Yeah, my One Touch strips are ~$1 each. If I didn't have *group* health insurance through my employer I'd be screwed. So much for wanting to be my own boss one day.

Health insurance and care in the US is f*ked up beyond belief. It is unethical. And for any of you here who don't think a public option is needed or necessary, you can start digging graves for many of your fellow diabetics.

And re: ebay - I'd steer clear. Do a search here for ebay purchases and there are some people who have posted warnings.

[kingfred777]

I pay $50 for 100 so $200 for 400 strips with ins. also.Jan 1st I have to go on Medicare and sign up for Part D prescription plan I don't know how much they will be then! I use Accue Check Comfort Curve and I asked my Pharmacist what the cost usually is for strips with ins. he said around $50 per 100 so maybe you need a different ins. or get old like me. This is why I was and am still concerned what is going to happen to our whole Medical system with the gov. messing with it. It may get better or get worse and I just got on Medicare and their talking $500 billion cut to this program. If you are young it's time to consider the directions of our country,get on the political bandwagon and let your opinions be heard!! If you have just been told your diabetic your life span has just got shorter, get involved!!

[jtausch]

just one thing about the public option they are going to tax the companies who make the meters strips and all durable medical supplies 2.5% if this thing passes, And the puplic option won'ty start intill at least 4 yeays from know but the taxes start almost imeditly to bulid up a cushion . So for people whom have to pay for the strips the price will be going up again

[Fenway]

Have you done a google search for strips? I found one place where I can get 200 strips for just under $100.

[jtausch]

another thing iheard has to why their so expensice is that they use gold in contacts and of the chemicals they have to use to make it work, don,t know if it is true or not.