How to Get More Strips on a Budget

By Adam Brown

Cash-pay strips with good accuracy and co-pay programs to save money

Read our 2019 update: How to Get Unlimited Test Strips and Personal Diabetes Coaching.

Here are some tips for getting more test strips at a lower cost, either through insurance or by paying cash. 

Option 1. Pay cash and buy strips directly without insurance. Here are some accurate products that have lower cash-pay prices (listed in alphabetical order). This list is not 100% comprehensive and includes reputable strip brands we trust.

• Abbott’s Precision Neo: $39 for 100 strips at myfreestyle.com/neo/buynow or in retail stores.

• Accu-Chek Guide and Aviva Plus: $50 per 100 strips at accu-chekto.com/accu-chek-essentials

• AgaMatrix Presto: $21 per 100 strips at shop.agamatrix.com. The Presto meter and strips are also sold in stores under the CVS, Target (up&up), and Kroger store-branded glucose meters.

• Ascensia/Bayer Contour Next: around $25 per 100 strips on Amazon.com. Contour Next strips are usually sold by “third-party sellers” on Amazon, though I’ve never had a problem buying them. (The reviews are also very positive.) However, I always check the expiration date before using them, just to be safe.

• Livongo Family Care Plan: $64.99 per month for unlimited strips at welcome.livongo.com/family#/

• mySugr: $39.99 per month for unlimited strips at mysugr.com/us/bundle/

• One Drop Premium: $33-$39.95 per month for unlimited strips, or $13-$25.95 for 50-100 strips per month. All plans include coaching. Go to start.onedrop.today or in the One Drop apps on Google Play and Apple iOS.

Option 2. If you have insurance, use co-pay assistance programs to cut the cost of strips. These programs are sponsored by companies and can save you money when using insurance. You can find these by searching for your strip brand and “co-pay assistance program.” Here are three brand-name offerings and sign-up links. Note: you have to make sure the pharmacist actually runs your prescription using the co-pay assistance card; otherwise, the cost reduction won’t go through. When I’ve used these in the past, pharmacists almost always forget to input them, so you have to ask and have the number on hand (e.g., stored in a note on your phone).

• Abbott FreeStyle Promise: www.myfreestyle.com/get-a-free-meter

• Ascensia Contour Choice: www.contournext.com/meters-and-strips-savings/save-on-test-strips-contour-choice-card/

• Roche Accu-Chek Simple Pay: sites.accu-chek.com/microsites/guide/simplepay.html 

Option 3. Ask your healthcare provider for a larger strips prescription – your co-pay may be the same whether you are buying 100 strips or 300 strips.