I’m trying to figure out the best meter/test strips for the value. I’m newly diagnosed. My insurance has been great with my insulin, but for some reason my test strips for my One Touch Verio are pretty pricey. I’ve actually been getting them from Amazon because they are less expensive there than with my pharmacy benefits (which is ridiculous).
I’m using a Freestyle Libre, which allows me only test a couple times a day with the finger sticks (usually in the morning and before going to sleep). I’m wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a quality meter with inexpensive strips? I’ve seen the One Drop monthly subscription, which seems like it could be a good deal. All suggestions welcome!
The One Touch Verio is a garbage meter. The results it generates are so wildly inaccurate, it should be labeled a random number generator. The only meter I’ll use is the Contour next line of meters. The accuracy is unmatched by any other meter on the market. You can order strips directly from their website and are much cheaper than buying from the pharmacy or risking buying expired strips from Amazon. A 71 strip container is $25 on Contour’s site.
Wow. I’d never heard of that one, but a quick search shows that it actually performed better in accuracy tests than my One Touch that I was given when I left the ICU post-diagnosis. Thanks for the response!
No, but from discussions about this very subject on other forums the discount card works very well and buying strips directly from Contour has been a much cheaper solution too. You can get a free Contour Next One meter here:
Hi. I use a Dexcom CGM but did use a Freestyle Libre 14 day sensor a while back. I didn’t do fingersticks twice a day, as you describe although they are recommended in certain situations; although there is a 10 day model which may be different in that regard.
But if your doctor and you to do fingersticks, or your Freestyle model requires one, there is a website/app called Goodrx that gives prices for prescriptions at various pharmacies in your area so you could check that.
I think insurances may have their own preferred meter or at least brand. If they require One Touch, there is a One Touch Ultra that uses different steps - it has fewer bells and whistles but gets the job done.
@wadawabbit Thanks for the advice! I’ve only been diagnosed for about a month and a half now. I know the Libre is FDA approved to replace fingersticks, but I’m still so new to this that having both to verify where I’m at gives me a peace of mind. I have moved from doing it with every meal to just morning and night!
My pleasure. By all means so what you need to keep your peace of mind, especially since you’re new. How close are your fingersticks to your Libre results? Don’t expect them to be exact.
Yes, the report I read, based on users testing various meters in real life, said that the Contour was the most accurate, and the ReliOn Premier Blu (not the other ones there) was a close second. For the difference in price with the Contour it’s a good thing to check out, especially if you nhave a Walmart nearby.
For 3 or more years as self pay I used WalMart’s Reli-On then dug out meters previous insurance sent me and settled on Prodigy after searching test strips on Amazon at somewhere around 10 cents per strip. Neither are probably near top for accuracy but they both served me adequately at an acceptable price.
I agree. The ReliOn strips at Walmart are the best priced and my A1C 's over the
years that I’ve used them have been right in line . No fancy stuff but perfectly fine by me.
Why the prices are so high with other strips is beyond me. (Greed??) On occasion, I’ve had error readings for no reason…but for the $…who cares. Just look online for comparisons and best of luck.