People with diabetes have difficulty metabolizing blood sugar due to insufficient insulin hormone production (type I diabetes mellitus) or a resistance to the insulin hormone (type II diabetes mellitus). Diabetic testing is necessary for people with diabetes because measures need to be taken to keep blood sugar levels within normal limits.
People with diabetes do not have the natural ability to metabolize and absorb blood sugar properly. Thus, it is necessary for diabetics to know what their blood sugar levels are throughout the day. Diabetics need to eat a low sugar diet and take measures to help the body absorb blood sugar to maintain health. Many diabetics need to take insulin via injection to metabolize consumed sugars. Other people take oral medications to help their body absorb insulin.
Diabetic testing supplies and equipment are necessary for people with diabetes. Most insurance companies and plans cover diabetic testing supplies, as do most Medicare supplement plans. Check with your insurance company to see which testing supplies are covered.
It is also necessary to find out who you need to obtain the supplies from in order for the insurance to cover them. Some plans cover supplies obtained from pharmacies or home care stores. Other plans only cover mail order supplies. There are a few plans that do not cover diabetic testing supplies at all. Be prepared when you go to order your supplies so you do not end up with a bill you were not expecting.
Diabetic Testing Supplies
If you are uninsured or found out that your insurance company does not cover diabetic blood testing, there are options available to receive free diabetic testing supplies.
Free diabetic testing equipment and supplies can often times be obtained through drug company and diabetes supply manufacturers, diabetes associations, and through grant programs. Check with your doctor and your pharmacist about free programs and supplies, as they often times have information about current promotions, grants, and free offers available on the market. The availability of free diabetic testing meters and supplies changes often. Doctors and pharmacies usually have the most current information about getting free supplies. The internet is also a great tool for finding current free supplies, promotions, and offers. Free diabetic testing strips are also available through manufacturers and different programs.
It is usually necessary to obtain testing strips fairly regularly, so if you do not have coverage, you may want to consider wholesale diabetic testing supplies or low cost diabetic testing supplies options. Mail order distributors are often times cheaper than retail pharmacies and stores.
Keep in mind that you will also need a diabetic testing log or diabetic testing chart to keep track of your blood sugar readings. Often times, these come with your testing supplies. If they do not, ask your physician or pharmacist. Often times, they supply them at no cost. Otherwise, there are several tracking options available online (if you prefer that to paper). You can also just make a spreadsheet to keep track or find a printable version online. There are several available.
Diabetic Testing Strips
Testing your blood sugar requires that you prick your skin to obtain a droplet of blood. You place a diabetic testing strip inside your meter and place the blood on the testing strip in the indicated spot. The meter then reads your blood glucose level.
In many cases, diabetics need to check blood sugar levels several times per day. Most of the time, blood sugar levels will need to be tested upon awakening, before eating food, a specified amount of time after eating food, and before bed. Thus, diabetics go through testing strips quickly. Many diabetics also complain of sore finger tips initially, because the finger tips are usually pricked to obtain the blood sample.
There are several pain free diabetic testing systems available on the market today. These systems still require a blood sample, but many of them are able to test with a much smaller drop of blood so it can be obtained someplace other than the finger tips, which is generally less painful. Painless diabetic testing options are usually a better choice for children with diabetes and for people in professions that require them to use their fingertips throughout the day (people on computers and keyboards benefit from this). However, most of the time people get used to finger tip testing and build up insensitivity or calices on the fingertips.
Diabetic Testing Meters
Diabetic testing meters are machines that are used to read the blood sugar level on the test strips. Again, there are many different types and each offers different benefits. Find out what your insurance covers and what your doctor recommends before you choose a testing meter. Generally, testing meters can be used for a long period of time before they need to be replaced with a new one. Thus, if you do not have insurance you may want to choose a meter based on the cost of the strips it requires, as most of the cost will come from purchasing testing strips and supplies.
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