Get Free Diabetes Supplies

Diabetes testing and medication can be very expensive, especially if you do not have health insurance or are not entitled to help from your National Health Service. Some companies, state programs, insurance companies and medical centers provide free or low-cost meters, strips and medication. Contact several programs to find out how to get free diabetes supplies in your area.

Steps

Going Through Insurance

1. Obtain insurance. If you do not have insurance already, you should enroll in an insurance program. Insurance can provide free or discounted diabetes supplies under basic coverage.
   • You can enroll in an insurance program through healthcare.gov, a public database provided under the Affordable Care Act. Under AFA, you cannot be turned down for preexisting conditions and you may be eligible for a discounted premium depending on your current income. There is a toll-free number to call if you have any questions.
   • You can try to pursue a private insurance program on your own. You will have to undergo a health insurance physical, which will serve to determine your pay rate. This choice may be costly, especially if you already have diabetes. This may increase your monthly premium.
   • If you are currently employed, see if your employer provides health care options and what you need to do to get on their plan.
2. Call your existing insurance company. If you're already insured, call your insurance company to talk about diabetes coverage. You can ask them what supplies will be covered under their program, what the copay is, and whether local pharmacies will offer you free or discounted supplies. If you're unhappy with your current coverage, consider pursuing an alternative insurance plan.
3. Consider Sign Up for Medicare. Medicare is a government assistantship program that provides discounted health care to those 65 and over. If you're in this age group and need help paying for diabetes supplies, look into Medicare.
   • Choose Medicare Part B is basic medical insurance provided by Medicare. Part B will cover blood sugar self-testing equipment and supplies, insulin pumps, and therapeutic shots or shoe inserts.
   • If you have or are at risk for diabetes, you'll be encouraged to enroll in Medicare Part D, which is Medicare's prescription drug coverage. This will cover diabetes supplies insulin and other anti-diabetic drugs.
   • Make sure you find health care providers that accept Medicare as a form of payment. Not all providers do and you'll be required to pay full costs of coverage if your medicare is denied.
4. Try Apply for Medicaid. Medicaid is a state-administered health insurance plan for low income individuals and families. If you Qualify for Medicaid, you may be able to get diabetes supplies for free or at a discounted rate.
   • Medicaid should cover inpatient and outpatient services for most medical issues. This means doctor's appointments regarding diabetes will be covered as well as diabetes supplies.
   • As with Medicare, make sure the health insurance provider you choose accepted Medicaid before making an appointment. If your doctor does not accept Medicaid, you'll be expected to pay full costs.
5. Ask for veteran benefits if you are a veteran. If you are a US veteran, you are entitled to certain health care benefits upon returning from active duty. Call your local VA office to ask about coverage.
   • Certain herbicides that veterans are sometimes exposed to during service can cause diabetes. If this is the case for you, you may be entitled to full coverage and disability assistance.
   • Even if your diabetes is not a result of your service, you are entitled to some health care coverage as a veteran. A variety of diabetes supplies may be covered depending on your program and benefits. Talk to someone at your local VA office to ask about coverage.

Exploring Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs

1. Try Rx Assist and Rx Hope. Many organizations can help you find access to free diabetic supplies depending on your age, income level, profession, and other factors. The websites Rx Assist and Rx Hope can help you locate the right organization for you.
   • Rx Assist provides a database of pharmaceutical assistance programs. You can search by your location, health condition, age, income level, and other factors to find a program that matches your needs.
   • Rx Hope serves to put you in contact with coordinators and volunteers that can help you obtain free or discounted meds. If, after finding a program through Rx Assist, you need help with paperwork and other logistics you can get assistance at securing free medication and supplies via Rx Hope.
2. Go to the Needy Meds website. Needy Meds, much like Rx Assist, provides a database of assistantship programs. You can search specifically for information on free diabetes supplies going through Needy Meds, so this might be a good choice if you're having difficulty navigating Rx Hope.
3. Contact the Partnership for Prescription Assistance. If you do not have prescription drug coverage under your insurance, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance can help you match you with an assistance program based on your condition, income, and location.
   • There is a brief online application you'll need to fill out and submit online. After completing the application, someone from PPA will contact you with a list of potential assistantship programs that could help you obtain free meds.
   • While PPA can help you find programs, you'll have to complete applications to individual programs on your own time. PPA does not process applications and cannot grant you free health care on its own.
4. Look into Benefits Check Up if you're a senior. A service of the National Council for Aging, Benefits Check Up can help you find free diabetes supplies if you're a senior. The database allows you to search for programs that help you pay for medication as well as cost of living, utilities, and other needs.

Fundraising for Supplies

1. Try a GoFundMe campaign. GoFundMe is an website that allows you to crowd fun for a variety of projects and causes. If you need help paying for diabetes medications, you can open a GoFundMe page to ask friends and family members to help you pay for meds.
   • GoFundMe does charge a flat fee of 5% on all donations collected. Plan ahead for the fact that the total money collected for your cause might not be the total money you'll receive.
   • You can only hold an online even for so long. Try to appeal to your needs. Explain your financial situation and cost of medication. Give ranges of donations that would be helpful. Be very gracious for any donations you receive.
2. Hold an event fundraiser. An event fundraiser can be any get together where guests are asked to donate money to a cause. Many people undergoing health problems host fundraisers in their hometowns or cities to raise money for medical needs.
   • Choose an event people will enjoy. Dinners, drinks, and competitions tend to draw in crowds. Try collaborating with a local business. A local bar, for example, might host a drink night where a certain percentage of their profit for the night goes to your cause.
   • You can advertise using social media, which is probably the cheapest route. You can also put up fliers around town and ask local newspapers and radios to spread the word.
3. Look for fundraising opportunities in your area. Oftentimes, churches, community centers, hospitals, and other organizations fundraise for specific medical issues. They may deliver free medical supplies once a year, for example, or help people find ways to get free health coverage. Ask around at local establishments to see if any existing organizations would be willing to help you.

Exploring Other Options

1. Look into any local free clinic options. Some counties have free health clinics for those without health insurance that you can go to. These clinics often only accept patients for the county where they are located and there may be a long wait time to get an appointment. The services offered vary and can even include some types of surgery.
   • If you can't find a way to get free testing supplies, there are on-line sources of diabetic supplies that are very affordable with low shipping costs or free shipping with a minimum purchase. Catch a sale and you save even more.
2. Control diabetes more effectively so that you need fewer testing supplies.
   • Educate yourself so that you will better understand how this disease and its complications work. Knowledge is power. Learn how to make lifestyle choices that will put you in the driver's seat. Then, take what you learn and put it into action. Action gets results.
   • Attitude is important in managing diabetes. Instead of viewing diabetes as a compromised life filled with "do's" and "don'ts", look at this as an opportunity to live a healthier life that may even be healthier than you've ever lived before.
   • Embrace a totally new lifestyle rather than try to "fix" the old one. View your old life as dead and gone, walk away from it and don't ever look back. Successful diabetes management isn't giving up on living but rather considering it to be a way to move up to a new, different way of living that is healthier and more enjoyable.
3. Join a free online group like dLife where you can learn more about diabetes from their expert staff who will even answer your questions. They also have many informative articles and diabetic friendly recipes.
   • Don't expect to be perfect. Learn to forgive yourself as you go through the discouragements that will come. But, don't you ever quit!

Sources and Citations

See also

• Tell if You Have Diabetes
• Control Diabetes
• Check Feet for Complications of Diabetes
• Prepare for a Glucose Screening Test
• Know if You Have Diabetes
• Use a Glucometer
• Live a Healthy Life As a Diabetic
• Stabilize Blood Sugar
• Avoid Type 2 Diabetes
• Change an Accu Chek Spirit or Combo Insulin Pump Cartridge

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