Does Medicare cover diabetic supplies?
Medicare covers test strips, lancets, the machine used to test blood sugar levels and outpatient self-management education. It also covers replacement batteries and calibration solution for the machines that require it. Medicare also covers diabetic shoes. Check out Medicare’s publication on diabetic coverage.
As of July 1998, Medicare now covers diabetic supplies for all diabetics, whether you take insulin or not. These supplies include such things as Blood Glucose monitors, test strips, control solutions, lancet devices and lancets. There are certain restrictions on the number of each of these items that Medicare will cover each month, and that number is dependent on whether you are insulin dependent or not. Patients who are insulin dependent are allowed more supplies each month than those who are not. The problem for most people is finding someone who will accept medicare assignment or in other words finding a provider who will bill medicare directly so they do not have to pay for their supplies out of their own pocket. This provider must havea medicare supplier number and have the capability of filing claims directly with medicare. If you or a member of your family are diabetic and are eligible for medicare part b benefits, then Goods Pharmacy can bill your supplies for you. If you arein
