Test strips pricing

[nmc]

I was in Boots today to purchase some test strips and noticed the Accu-Chek packs in cartridges containing 17 strips were priced at about £6.60 a box. I enquired as to how much the triple pack that is often prescribed would cost and to my surprise the pharmacist told me it costs about £28 : MUCH more than three times the cost of the separate packs.

Are they runnnig some sort of scam here - at the Morrisons pharmacy the 'pack of three' only costs about £14.50 which is cheaper than buying separate packs.

Very strange.

 

[candyfloss]

my immediate reaction is to ask why do you shop at Boots if you are price conscious? Do they ever sell anything that is cheaper elsewhere? I switched to Superdrug decades ago and then to the internet in the last 2 or 3 years. One online pharmacy is selling 50 Accu Chek strips for £15.99. Maybe they are even cheaper on Ebay.

 

[IanS]

I was in Boots today to purchase some test strips and noticed the Accu-Chek packs in cartridges containing 17 strips were priced at about £6.60 a box. I enquired as to how much the triple pack that is often prescribed would cost and to my surprise the pharmacist told me it costs about £28 : MUCH more than three times the cost of the separate packs.

You are obviously not a canny shopper in supermarkets. You have to watch the price of the larger packs of items very carefully. The smaller packs can often work out cheaper than the bulk packs. Supermarket pricing is deliberately misleading to con you into paying far more for your shopping than you need to. Other shops, work in similar ways.

Just a few months ago, one of the TV consumer programmes (Watchdog I believe) sent 4 teams into a supermarket with a shopping list. Although all 4 teams emerged with exactly the same basket of shopping, no two had the same bill with till receipts varying between around £6 to over £14. It was possible to buy all the goods for under a fiver.

IanS

 

[hanadr]

I read ALL price labels, including the "unit price" part. However, I cannot get the price of test strips lower than the suppliers reliably. Ebay can be cheaper, but the specific kind ae not always available and delivery dates vary. Abbot send me strips pretty much over night, with P&P charge included.
our Local ASDA doesn't have a pharmacy.
Hana

 

[IanS]

I assume that you don't pay the VAT as you (as a diabetic) are not liable for it.

IanS

 

[devonis]

Well all I can say is count yourself lucky.

The Diabetic clinic I just went to today are quoting £50 for 50 One-Touch Ultra!

 

[cugila]

Well all I can say is count yourself lucky.

The Diabetic clinic I just went to today are quoting £50 for 50 One-Touch Ultra!

THAT is a rip off !! The Chemist only charges around £25 for 50 and I purchased 100 off Ebay for £20 and also another 50 for £8.50 recently.

Do NOT pay those sort of prices.

 

[jwilki]

For your interest I use a Bayer Contour meter and 50 test strips here cost €40 but luckily for me at the moment my company pay, however as I have paid social security here for over 5 years (the only criteria) I can go to the general hospital and get them free of charge. This is regardless of diagnosis of T1 or T2. Not bad for a country that does not have an NHS system!

 

[nmc]

It looks to me like some of the people selling single packets of test strips on ebay are selling their prescribed strips instead of using them.

 

[andy_hull]

hi all

i got some test strips today from tesco pharmacy, very good value

50+1 accu-check strips for compact & compact plus for £14.94, boots & pharmacy2u sell them for £19.99

hope this helps

andy

 

[noblehead]

It really makes me sad when I read that people with diabetes have to pay for test strips. I do remember paying for my prescriptions in my early years of diagnosis before they became free for type 1's.

As I can use a box of 50 in a week, I couldn't afford to pay for them even at £14.99. Good diabetes control can only be gained by self-monitoring, and it is really ridiculous that type 2's are discriminated in this manner.

As we have local and general elections coming this year, it may be a opportunity to ask your local member of parliament to comment on this issue, and ask if they support the right for free prescriptions to all people with diabetes.

Regards

Nigel

 

[nmc]

hi all

i got some test strips today from tesco pharmacy, very good value

50+1 accu-check strips for compact & compact plus for £14.94, boots & pharmacy2u sell them for £19.99

hope this helps

andy

This is interesting, I was in my local Tesco Extra and they told me the price for a pack of '50+1' Accu Chek Compact strips will be about £28. Interestingly enough they were selling the Accu Chek Compact Plus machine with a cartridge of 17 test strips, lancets, etc for about £6.50, the pharmacist said the initial cost of the machine is so low to encourage people to use their machines and let the NHS pick up the higher cost of the ongoing consumables.

I found a meter on the internet where strips cost only £10 per pack of 50. The meter is more expensive but the strips cost considerably less. I've ordered one and will give it a go.

 

[mehdave]

I think its shocking some of the type 2 are paying for them. I got 100 strips and a box of 204 multiclix lancets for my nano from my diabetic nurse and thats an ongoing repeat prescription thats free. She says as much as I need. I think this should be the same for any of them.

 

[andy_hull]

i am a new t2 and have not been testing, but i decided to give it a bash out of my own pocket as mt bg is very poor,

i was shocked at the effect weetabix has on my system a rise from 12.3 to 17.7, before you all say my god you had weetabix all those carbs, i am only following what i have been told to do.

as i am new its seems crazy that they dont want me to see what foods raise my bg too much and therefore avoid them and therefore i will have better control of my long term sugars

we are all creatures of habit and it would not take to long to sort yourself out by testing after each meal and then change your diet to the foods that effect you the least

is it me or is that to much like common sense

andy

 

[suffolkboi61]

I was the same, told to eat granary bread, wetabix/shredded wheat and starchy foods, yet find that it really effects my Bg.
Found help here though and now have a better understanding on what/what not to eat.

 

[kay957]

I was in Boots today to purchase some test strips and noticed the Accu-Chek packs in cartridges containing 17 strips were priced at about £6.60 a box. I enquired as to how much the triple pack that is often prescribed would cost and to my surprise the pharmacist told me it costs about £28 : MUCH more than three times the cost of the separate packs.

Are they runnnig some sort of scam here - at the Morrisons pharmacy the 'pack of three' only costs about £14.50 which is cheaper than buying separate packs.

Very strange.

Thanks for the heads up about the accu-check test strips, I have been buying them at Boots because I can buy them in singles, I will now try my Morrisons branch to see if I can get them for £14.50 a box.

 

[nmc]

Andy, you're right, this is what I've been doing. I found out I have T2 diabetes about a month ago and have been testing multiple times each day before and after meals.

I find bread , especially ready made pizza bases are very high in carbs (120 grams) , so I made a pizza using a tortilla wrap as the bread base which has much less carbohydrates and it seemed to work quite well, it tasted good too !

I have reduced the portions of the other carbohydrates that I eat, like rice, pasta and potato.

 

[welshbunny]

I cant believe people pay for their testing strips. I have never paid for anything regarding my Diabetes. Not even for my meters. The clinic at the hospital I go to always have free ones. I couldnt afford to pay for strips. I know that living in Wales all prescriptions are free but even before that anyone with diabetes did not have to pay for their prescriptions.

I find the whole thing disgraceful, it means people who cant afford to pay much will be testing far less.

Welshbunny.

 

[shirleymarye]

I have never paid for my testing strips either,not in England or Scotland and my meters usually come from the companies who advertise them.I usually just give them a ring if I need one and I get a freebie in the post!

 

[suffolkboi61]

I have just been up to my sugery and asked if I have to pay for my test strips or not, I was told that I get them free on prescription.
So maybe it is up to the discretion of your GP or nurse regarding getting them free or not.