Expiration Of Test Strips
For many patients who have a limited budget to juggle, two question that always come to mind is do test strips go bad and whether they can use test strips that have been expired. For the first question, test strips are only effective if the enzymes are active. Once you open a bottle of test strips, you are allowing the test strips to come in contact with humidity and all the chemicals in the atmosphere, and thus the degradation speeds up. Assuming that the test strip bottle is closed tightly after each use and the bottle has been stored according to the manufacturers directions, you can expect your test strip to remain effective for a good while. Just to give you some idea how long test strips will last, we have compiled a short list of some common test strip brands and compared their effective duration:
Assuming that the test strip bottle is closed tightly after each use and the bottle has been stored according to the manufacturers directions, you can expect your test strip to remain effective for a good while. Just to give you some idea how long test strips will last, we have compiled a short list of some common test strip brands and compared their effective duration:
| Brand | |
| Good for 90 days after you first open the bottle or until the expiration date, whichever comes first. | |
| Nipro Diagnostics® | Good for 120 days after you first open the bottle or until the expiration date, whichever comes first. |
Sell Diabetic Test Strips To Make Money
There is a lot of money to be made by selling diabetic test strips. Heres how it sometimes works, according to NPR:
A buyer operates her business out of her dining room. She has a cardboard box with about 20 boxes of test strips inside. She might pay $50 a box. It depends on the brand, the condition of the box, and the expiration date for the test strips. Then she sells them at a markup to the next part of this chain: retailers.
Some of these people are making a lot of money for themselves as a result of selling diabetic test strips. There is nothing wrong with making money when you sell diabetic test strips. Selling your own supply is not illegal. But when greedy profiteers are attempting to make money off sufferers and commit fraud things get into a gray area.
You Asked: Is Selling Diabetic Test Strips Legal
A State Journal reader who noticed signs popping up at several Frankfort intersections asking residents to sell their diabetic test strips inquired as to whether it was a scam.
A sign reading ‘we buy diabetic test strips’ is posted on a traffic sign at Spaghetti Junction on Monday.
The test strips, which are used several times a day by Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics to measure blood sugar, are single-use and contain a laminate of plastic and chemicals. With more than 30 million Americans diagnosed as diabetic and testing strips retailing at roughly $1 per strip, buying and selling the products has become a lucrative industry.
Heres how it works.
Much like prescription medications, manufacturers set the list prices for diabetic testing supplies high and then offer substantial discounts to those with good health insurance. This significantly lowers the cost for consumers, who end up paying very little or nothing for the test strips.
However, those who do not have health insurance have to pay for the expensive diabetic supplies out-of-pocket.
This is where the middleman those advertising to pay cash for test strips comes in. He or she purchases the extra supplies from the diabetes patients with good health insurance who are looking to make a little cash, adds a mark-up and sells them to the uninsured or underinsured diabetic at a lower price than they would pay for the over-the-counter supplies.
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Do You Know What Youre Getting
That may be good for the seller, but Donald Walker, director of the Atlanta Diabetes and Prevention Group, a nonprofit that helps educate patients with diabetes about their condition, says he has heard multiple negative reports from patients who used these distributors to buy products.
Some of the test strips were open. Some were defective, Walker explained. The quality of the product was just affected in some regard, he said, citing poorly packaged products and unusable goods.
Manufacturers of test strips generally send their products directly to pharmacies, and they say they are able to certify quality and offer warranties only on products sold by these authorized distributors. Those products have been evaluated for proper handling, shelf life and authenticity.
Thats important, because getting the wrong equipment is risky. Patients in Georgia and elsewhere who buy diabetes supplies secondhand are being warned about potential inaccuracies in their blood sugar readings, which can lead to the administration of too much insulin, or too little.
Dr. Ali said that type 1 diabetes patients, who are using insulin because it is lifesaving, depend on accurate readings of their blood sugar levels.
The FDA said in April that it is closely monitoring reports of adverse events associated with the testing issue. Consumers should report problems directly to the FDA by calling 1-800-FDA-1088 or visiting MedWatch, the agencys safety information and adverse event reporting program.
The Strange Marketplace For Diabetes Test Strips
It is legal to resell unused test strips for blood glucose, and many patients do, driving an unusual trade online and on the streets.
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On most afternoons, people arrive from across New York City with backpacks and plastic bags filled with boxes of small plastic strips, forming a line on the sidewalk outside a Harlem storefront.
Hanging from the awning, a banner reads: Get cash with your extra diabetic test strips.
Each strip is a laminate of plastic and chemicals little bigger than a fingernail, a single-use diagnostic test for measuring blood sugar. More than 30 million Americans have Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and most use several test strips daily to monitor their condition.
But at this store on W. 116th Street, each strip is also a lucrative commodity, part of an informal economy in unused strips nationwide. Often the sellers are insured and paid little out of pocket for the strips the buyers may be underinsured or uninsured, and unable to pay retail prices, which can run well over $100 for a box of 100 strips.
Some clinicians are surprised to learn of this vast resale market, but it has existed for decades, an unusual example of the vagaries of American health care. Unlike the resale of prescription drugs, which is prohibited by law, it is generally legal to resell unused test strips.
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How Much Do Diabetes Test Strips Cost
Generally, the answer is TOO MUCH! That’s why we created Diathrive. There is no good reason for the medical supply prices you are used to seeing at the counter. Generally, it costs a few dollars to manufacture a bottle of glucose test strips regardless of what brand. If you are paying more than $8 for a bottle of 50 strips out of pocket, you are paying too much. Save your money and get low-cost diabetes test strips here.
Investigators: The Black Market For Diabetes Test Strips
A black market for medical supplies that diabetics desperately need is raising concerns among federal regulators and doctors.
The U.S. has nearly 30 million diabetics. Those patients use diabetes test strips to monitor blood-sugar levels, a key step in managing the chronic disease.
But at $2 apiece, the strips are too costly for many patients.
That’s where the black market comes in.
2 Investigator Brad Edwards discovered across the Chicago area, there are numerous people buying and selling strips on street corners and parking lots.
The sellers are typically people who are not testing enough and selling unused strips for extra cash. The average patient will test three times a day.
Or, in some cases, patients have federal health insurance, either Medicare or Medicare, and are receiving more than strips than they need.
A 2013 federal audit identified $425 million worth of questionable Medicare test-strip spending.
As inspector general of the Illinois Department of Healthcare & Family Services, Bradley Hart oversees the state’s $20 billion Medicaid spending.
Of the black market for test strips, he says: “It’s somebody finding a way to get something free out of the system. The recipient is looking for cash.”
2 Investigators found middlemen advertising on Craigslist, Facebook, and on street signs. They offer up to $20 for an unopened box of 50 name-brand strips. That same box retails for more than $100 at a big-box drugstore.
Another says she was buying them for a doctor.
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Who Buys Diabetic Test Strips
You may be asking yourself, who buys test strips? WE DO! The Two Moms want to buy all your extra diabetic test strips. Many times, people with diabetes have a great deal of extra diabetic test strips due to a variety of reasons, and they typically just throw their leftover products away.
However, what people might not understand is that someone else living with diabetes could benefit from these same diabetic test strips, someone who is not able to pay full retail pricing.
The Two Moms mission is to connect people with diabetes who need affordable testing supplies with the excess diabetic supplies that we purchase. This way we put a little dent in the world of expensive health care and a ton of cash back into the wallets of the people that need it most. You.
The Two Moms are recognized for the highest cash payouts in the industry. See why the Two Moms are your number one trusted company to purchase your diabetic testing supplies.
Can You Sell Unused Diabetic Strips Online
It seems like almost everything we do is online these days. From buying groceries to scheduling a car wash, literally every aspect of our lives can be done via a smart phone. Because of this, websites ensure that their services as secure, fast, easy, and safe for everyone. An online marketplace for discount diabetic test strips allows anyone across the country to access the cost savings even if they live in an area that doesnt have access to quality health care. Online reselling means that you dont have to drive into the city or fight the traffic to sell your strips. You can do everything from the comfort of your home.
What Is The Process To Sell Unused Diabetic Test Strips Online?
Register With The Company
All modern online companies make it incredibly easy to sell strips online. They dont want you to hit any road bumps or potholes along the way. The first step for using any online service is to create an account. This is used to track shipping information and payment details. You can track how much you have sold through these portals.
Mail Out Your Sealed Supplies
Next you need to send out your boxes. Only ship boxes that are unopened and not damaged in any way. Some companies will have a physical location or a pick-up service. However, this isnt as common and the prices may not be as good.
Get Paid
What Are The Benefits To Selling My Unused Diabetic Test Strips?
Get Extra Cash
De-Clutter Your House
Help Other People
Are There Any Other Benefits Or Bonuses Offered?
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What Is A Urine Glucose Test Cant I Use This Procedure Instead
For all the pain and money invested, you may wonder if there is an alternative to blood glucose test. Yes urine glucose test. A urine glucose test measures the amountof glucose and ketone in your urine. It is much less invasive than a blood glucose test, but it also tends to be less accurate. It is usually performed at a diagnostic laboratory when you go for your routine checkup where various other tests are also performed.
However, at-home urine ketone testing is most often necessary for type 1 diabetes patients who have blood glucose levels over 300 mg/dl, who are sick or have symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis. It may also be an option for you if you have difficulty obtaining a sufficient blood sample or you have some other trouble performing blood glucose monitoring. Please note that if you choose to use this method of monitoring your blood glucose level, there are several disadvantages to urine glucose test:
You Can Also Make Money And Help Others
Its clear that diabetic test strips are valuable. Many people can make good money selling their extra test strips. Its also clear you can help others when selling your diabetic test strips.
At QuickCash4TestStrips.com we are unlike other companies or seedy gray markets.
We offer two distinct benefits:
1. Make Money: When you sell your unused test strips, we distribute them at our cost to diabetics in our local community.
We then re-sell them outside of our area at 75 to 80 percent below retail.
2. Help Others: Youll be helping diabetics who may be unemployed, uninsured or who have great difficulty affording the test strips they need.
You need a professional approach that benefits everyone. Let us help you get started making money and helping others right away!
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Growing Diabetic Population Fuels A Black Market
Growing diabetic population fuels a black market Test strips, sold over the counter, are resold for quick profit Updated 8:21am, Monday, January 30, 2012 window._taboola = window._taboola || _taboola.push _taboola.push window._taboola = window._taboola || _taboola.push _taboola.push window._taboola = window._taboola || _taboola.push _taboola.push window._taboola = window._taboola || _taboola.push _taboola.push Diabetic test strips buyer Brian “Jake” Tucker, of Rotterdam, talks to Times Union reporter Paul Grondahl at the Colonie Library parking lot Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2011 in Colonie, N.Y. less Diabetic test strips buyer Brian “Jake” Tucker, of Rotterdam, talks to Times Union reporter Paul Grondahl at the Colonie Library parking lot Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2011 in Colonie, N.Y. less Diabetic test strips buyer Brian “Continue reading > >
Why Do People Buy Diabetic Test Strips
Diabetes is one of the most costly diseases. The American Diabetes Association estimated the total costs of diagnosed diabetes to be $327 billion in 2017 15% of which accounted for anti-diabetic agents and diabetic supplies. Diabetic test strips, for one, can cost up to $2 apiece, and for the uninsured and underinsured, this is a substantial financial burden.
Patients with type 1 diabetes, for example, may be required to test their blood sugar 7 times a day, on average. Thats $420 worth of $2 diabetic test strips every month for test strips alone! The high costs of managing diabetes gave birth to an underground market for diabetic supplies.
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Some Strips Retail For More Than $80 Per Box Deborah Weiner Finds
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The WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team has discovered that there’s growing concern in Maryland surrounding the resale of test strips that are used many times a day by diabetics.
“I’m going to talk about diabetic testing supplies because they can make you money,” a YouTube video says.
How To Dispose Used Test Strips Lancets And Needles
As of now, each state and region has its own rules for disposing of syringes, pen needles, lancets and blood strips. To learn more about the regulations, you can check with your refuse company or the local waste authority. For additional information about how to safely dispose of your medical waste in your neighborhood, visit the Center of Disease Control and Prevention official website. But in general, never dispose medical waste directly in usual trash bins or public trash areas. Even when you are traveling, please use proper containers to collect your medical waste.
When it comes to dealing with test strips, patients typically dispose them in the same bio-waste container along with their other medical waste items. Some like to keep the blood glucose test strips in a sealed bag and then place them in the sharps container. Sometimes, your community may have dedicated collection sites for filled sharp containers. Some of these locations that may collect them include police stations, fire departments, doctors offices, health clinics, health departments, pharmacies, and hospitals.
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How Do Diabetes Test Strips Work
A drop of blood is applied to the intake port on the test strip, usually indicated by a clear area in the strip where you can see the blood sample run up the strip. Inside the strip, the blood mixes with an enzyme. The glucose meter then runs electricity through that mixture. The meter gauges the resistance to the electricity to determine your blood glucose levels, and a reading pops up on your glucose meter.
What Might Produce Erroneous Readings Of High Blood Sugar
However, a number of circumstances, including application mistakes, harsh weather conditions, high hematocrit levels, and drug interactions, might possibly lead to inaccurate blood glucose readings. Inaccurate blood glucose measurements might result in treatment problems, such as inappropriate insulin dose.
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