Without insurance, a traditional glucose monitor could cost about $40 to $60, and diabetes test strips can cost around $100 a month. Annual costs range from $1,000 to $3,000.
Almost all insurers cover continuous glucose monitors for people with type I diabetes, and a small number of insurers are beginning to cover continuous glucose monitors for some type II diabetes patients who do not use insulin. According to the American Diabetes Association, some insurance companies will cover the costs of monitors, but not the cost of test strips, or vice versa.
What should you look for in a glucose monitoring kit?
When browsing glucose monitors online, you will find that some versions are available without a prescription, whereas continuous glucose monitors require a doctor’s prescription for purchasing.
Traditional glucose monitoring kits should consist of:
- Glucose monitor
- Logbook to record results
- Test strips
- Lancets
Experts recommend that lancets should only be used once. However, if money is an issue, you can reuse a lancet for up to a week.
Continuous glucose monitors should consist of:
- Sensor
- Receiver, such as a smartphone or insulin pump
What are the additional costs of buying a glucose monitor?
Sometimes, you may have to incur the cost of test strips if you have to use them up to 12 times a day. You may also have to buy additional lancets, as well as batteries if your glucose monitor requires batteries to operate.
You are expected to dispose of your lancets safely. You can contact your community for free medical waste disposal programs. If your community does not offer any disposal programs, you can try paid options offered by several companies. Several companies offer mail-back needle disposal programs for a small fee, which may vary depending on your location and disposal needs.
What are the benefits of using a glucose monitor?
Regular blood sugar monitoring is essential for managing diabetes and reducing disease complications. Monitoring your blood glucose at home has the following advantages:
- Helps to identify dangerously high or low levels of glucose
- Reveals how diet and exercise affect your glucose levels
- Identifies whether any adjustments would beneficial in your treatment
Regular monitoring of blood sugar prevents:
- Diabetes complications, such as:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Blindness
- Amputation
- Complications of low blood sugar, such as:
SLIDESHOW
Diabetes: What Raises and Lowers Your Blood Sugar Level? See SlideshowGalewitz P. 'Painless' Glucose Monitors Pushed Despite Little Evidence They Help Most Patients With Diabetes. Medscape. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/947546
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). https://www.epa.gov/hw/household-hazardous-waste-hhw
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Monitoring Your Blood Sugar. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/managing-blood-sugar/bloodglucosemonitoring.html
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