How Affordable Diabetic Supplies Can Balance Your Budget

Even with reasonable insurance, there are many diabetes related expenses that insurance rarely covers. Recent studies have shown that on average, diabetics who avoid hospitalization or intensive treatment may spend 10% or more of their income on external expenses. With so few avenues for support, affordable diabetic supplies are an important way for people with diabetes to cut their expenses and balance their budgets. 

The Impact of Diabetic Supplies on Budgets for Diabetic Americans

The annual cost of managing diabetes ranges from $3,300 to $4,600 after considering insurance premiums, copays, and other related costs. These figures include costs for over the counter diabetic supplies, lost wages, and medications. 

Less severe cases of type 2 diabetes that don’t require insulin and other medications averages to $3,200 per year. This mostly consists of $2,700 in annual expenses for over the counter supplies and $472 in annual lost wages. The cost of OTC supplies stays roughly consistent for all diabetics, but type 1 diabetes and those who need insulin, GLP-1 agonists, and/or SGLT2 inhibitors face ballooning medication costs and lost wages. 

However, these figures assume a person manages their diabetes well. Chronic complications will bring another $470 in annual expenses. Extra care like emergency room visits, hospital admissions, and home health services may tack on another $590. In all, your out of pocket expenses could range from $3,200 to $5,500 a year. Overall costs vary,  but all diabetics have a similarly expensive need for OTC diabetic supplies. But this also means that everyone with diabetes can save by sourcing affordable diabetic supplies. 

How Much Money You Can Save with Cheap Diabetic Supplies

Diabetic supplies don’t seem expensive at first, but their price adds up dramatically over time. However, your savings can also add up. Buying cheap diabetic supplies from people with surplus stocks can cut your yearly costs significantly. Here are a few opportunities to save across the biggest categories of over the counter diabetic supplies:

Affordable Glucose Test Strips

Glucose test strips are crucial for monitoring blood sugar levels. Purchasing 100ct of Freestyle Lite Test Strips from Discount OTC for $74, compared to $90 for two 50 ct packs, can save $16 per 100ct. If your doctor recommends highly frequent testing, this will translate into savings of up to $233.60 per year. 

Discounted Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs)

CGMs are life saving devices when it comes to tracking your glucose levels, but they’re expensive. Take the Dexcom G6 sensor, which is no longer the newest sensor on the market. Even if you get a discount for being uninsured, you’ll pay $171. But if you buy secondhand Dexcom G6 sensors, you can save over $85. 

Cheap Lancets for Sale

Lancets are essential for blood sampling. It’s possible to need up to 1,460 lancets annually, depending on the testing regimen your doctor recommends. In this case, compare brand-new OneTouch Delica Plus Lancets to a secondhand option. When you buy surplus lancets, you can reduce your costs by $6 per 100 lancets and save around $87 annually.

Affordable Insulin Pump Supplies

There are many types of insulin pump supplies that contribute to the annual expenses of a diabetic person. For instance, take the Medtronic Guardian Sensor 3 insulin reservoir. Assuming you use 52 reservoirs annually, buying diabetic surplus insulin reservoirs for $19.99 per 5-pack instead of $33 new can save you $135 a year. A new 10ct box MiniMed Mio infusion set costs $161, but you can save over $40 buying your infusion sets with Discount OTC.

Potential Savings with Affordable Diabetic Supplies

While over the counter diabetic supplies are expensive, you can make them more affordable and balance your budget buying secondhand. Some of the major opportunities for saving add up to: 

• Glucose test strips: Save up to $233.60 annually.
• CGMs: Save $86.01.
• Lancets: Save up to $87.60.
• Insulin pump supplies: Save over $135.01.

Your exact potential to save money with cheap diabetic supplies will depend on the diabetic supplies you use and how much you need. However, it may be possible to reduce your OTC expenses from over $2,700 to around $2,200. Every dollar counts, and you can save money while resting easily with help from Discount OTC.

Buy Affordable Diabetic Supplies with Discount OTC

At Discount OTC, we buy diabetic supplies from people who have surplus supplies and need quick cash. From there, we handle quality control, storage, and transportation until someone like you needs discount diabetic supplies. When you buy with us, you can count on:

• Low prices: We get low rates on surplus diabetic supplies and pass those savings on to you. 
• Quality assurance: We only buy unopened supplies with plenty of time until expiration. Cut costs without compromising on quality. 
• Supporting other diabetics: Buying discount diabetic supplies from us ultimately helps other diabetics who need to sell their surplus supplies. 

Take back control of your finances; buy affordable diabetic supplies with Discount OTC.