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Free meters?

R

RoseRodent

Member
So I was reading information about the provision (or withdrawal of provision) of strips on prescription for type 2 diabetes and it said that manufacturers are required to provide the meters for free. Surely this doesn't mean you can ask them for your favourite choice of meter? How does that work, do you just get allocated their bod standard meter if you plump for a free one? I know several type 1s and they all pay for their meters except when they get a manufacturer upgrade to replace an old registered product. I can see where that is in the manufacturer's interests as they don't have to carry on making strips for obselete meters, but do they really give out new ones free?
 
I have had a free meter, think it was a Bayer Contour. But I prefer to use my Abbott Freestyle Lite.
I rang Bayer and said I wanted to try out one of their meters, will they give me a freebie and they did :mrgreen:
 
Most will give you a meter for free. They dont have to. I assume the hospital will need to give a t1 diabetic a meter for checking the bs level.

I have several free meters here if you need one. (anyone) and from different manufacturers.
 
See this is the problem I have, most will give a meter for free but charge for software or connecting cables. My friend and I chose a meter specifically because it said we could ring a freephone helpline to get software and a cable. I didn't expect them to say that will be £24.95 please!! :shock: Same price as starting again with a new meter.

The Contour USB is the only one I know of that carries its own onboard software so I know that it can be used to create graphs and such without going out and buying a load of additional stuff.

So I wasn't sure if they only gave away free ones of the most basic meters or if you can ask them to give a free one of the premium meters like Accu-Chek Mobile or Contour USB. The diabetes nurse has a cupboard full of the same one he already has, and I pay for them anyway because I have the wrong sort of condition for a freebie (generalised hormone problems that don't come under the formal label "diabetic"). Are they supposed to give you free ones of the meter you want, or just A N Other Meter? I thought they made so much profit from flogging the NHS expensive strips that they'd take the hit on a free meter.
 
They in general give you a choice of meter but they don't have to give you anything. The NHS usually use ABBOTT so you end up with one of there meters. Newer meters like the contour usb are awesome used mine since it came out but dont expect them to be giving it away free anytime soon. They still have there other meters to give out.

I imagine if any manufacturer was forced to give out free meters they would use whatever they had that was cheapest.
 
RoseRodent said:
See this is the problem I have, most will give a meter for free but charge for software or connecting cables. My friend and I chose a meter specifically because it said we could ring a freephone helpline to get software and a cable. I didn't expect them to say that will be £24.95 please!! :shock: Same price as starting again with a new meter.

The Contour USB is the only one I know of that carries its own onboard software so I know that it can be used to create graphs and such without going out and buying a load of additional stuff.
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I have had many meters over the years and have never had to pay for any.......that includes the software and cables. I think if you phone the company direct and speak nicely you will usually find they are mostly helpful. I am 'pushy' when it comes to such kit !

I use a Lifescan UltraSmart and also an UltraEasy at the moment which both came with everything I needed. The meter does everything I could ever want and the software which I use on my PC is easy to use and gives me all sorts of graphing capability. I E-mail readings and graphs etc to both my Endo and SDSN as and when I need to.
 
mehdave said:
they don't have to give you anything

I imagine if any manufacturer was forced to give out free meters...
Click to expand...

I am interested to know where the phrase in the NHS guidance comes into things (ref the cost of supplying strips), as it does say that the agreement with the NHS is that the manufacturers "are required to provide the meters free of charge" (emphasis is mine) not that they may do if they feel like it. That's why I was confused if they are "required to provide" anything but not necessarily what you want, required to provide what you ask for subject to a limited list (ones that have NHS strips) that they are required to provide them to the NHS free of charge, where patients can pick them up from the NHS, therefore each health authority has a preferred model they tend to stick to, and if you go your own way then you pay.

It's the nature of this "required to provide" that I am stuck on, and what exactly it is that they are "required to provide"

(from NHS Diabetes working group report document "Self monitoring of blood glucose in non-insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes")
 
In 21 years of being diabetic I've only paid for 2 meters..

First meter cost £150 (vat free) and at this time you had to buy your own... 2nd one emergency purchase, as I had distroyed mine running over it with the car :oops: :oops: And couldn't get to either my doctors or the hospital clinic until the next day to get a new one...

My lifescan ultrasmart meter, I did pay for the computer cable but not the software, but you now can get the cable free..

We are lucky in the UK what we do get free, most other countries such as America you not only have to pay for the meter but also for the software, cables etc as standard they give nothing away....

Yes we do get a choice, as different meters have different merit to them, such as Accu-chek with their drums, freestyles with there smallness etc, different sizes of screens.. So the drum would be better for the dexterity problems while the freestyles more suitable for individual that doing sports and wants something to pop into a pocket...

We actuall do a lot better with our meters etc than most countries, where not only do you have to pay for the meter, but all the associated software and cables..

Here we can get the lifescan managment program and now the cable for free, if you were in America you have to pay for it.. As well as everything piece of kit you require to control your diabetes..
 
Well, if anyone else is self-funding strips there is a fierce bidding war on many sites to snag the strips at good prices, but it seems easier to purchase meters each time, people don't want a new meter and they go for £5 including 25 strips instead of the usual £13+ for 50. So soon I am going to have an awful lot of meters! :lol:
 
mehdave said:
Most will give you a meter for free. They dont have to. I assume the hospital will need to give a t1 diabetic a meter for checking the bs level.

I have several free meters here if you need one. (anyone) and from different manufacturers.
Click to expand...

I would love another small meter such as the FreeStyle Lite which uses very little blood.Thank you.
 
Sure will dig it out for you. PM your address details will let you know what ones I have and then will try get it off tomorrow.
 
:oops: Hi mehdave, you have probably seen my posts about meters. I have applied for the one on this sites home page. I have also applied to Llyods chemist who said I could have one in 3 months ! My own diabetic nurse keeps telling me I don' t really need to test. Then she told me they have plenty in the surgery that they give out free sometimes ! That looks like a fight then. If you have a spare one ( it would be my first ) I would be very grateful and would pay any p&p. :oops:
 
Hi I have a few left.

You can have a Glucomen LX and can supply a onetouch comfort finger pricket as well.
Theres also a onetouch VITA but its been used so has quite allot of readings in the memory.

I also have a one touch Ultraeasy only used it once or twice to confirm its working. probably the best for a new diabetic really easy to work.

Or the Glucomen finger pricket. Personally think the comfort is better they will just come in a jiffy bag with a case. instead of boxed to save postage.
 
:D Dont know what to say Mehdave, as its my first, whichever you think best. The comfort then. I will PM you my address details. PLEASE let me know how much the post and packing cost you. I will reimburse you. Thank you very much. :P
 
Just edited my post sorry. The ultraeasy and the comfort lance are a great combo for a diabetic. I will resterilise the meter etc just to be on the safe side. :D
 
Hi Gratope you have private messages turned off.

Dont worry though will get it sent out to you tomorrow and dont worry about money. Have included a few strips and finger pricker etc to get you started :D
 
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