If you have Medicare coverage and you have diabetes, many of the diabetic supplies you need are covered by your Medicare benefits. Both Medicare Part B, which covers doctor’s visits and outpatient care, and Medicare Part D, which covers the costs of prescription drugs, pays for certain diabetes supplies.
Diabetic Supplies Covered by Medicare Part B
As long as you have a prescription from your doctor for diabetes supplies, Medicare covers blood sugar self-testing equipment and supplies such as
- Blood sugar testing monitors
- Blood sugar test strips
- Lancets
- Lancet devices
The amount of supplies Medicare will cover depends on whether you use insulin.
- If you do use insulin, you could be eligible to get up to 100 glucose test strips per month, 100 lancets per month and one lancet device every six months.
- If you do not use insulin, you may be eligible to receive 100 glucose test strips and 100 lancets every three months, and a new lancet device every six months.
For diabetics who meet certain criteria and have a doctor’s prescription, Medicare Part B will also pay for external insulin pumps (considered durable medical equipment) and the insulin used with the pump.
If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and suffer from severe diabetic foot disease, you may also qualify for Medicare to pay for therapeutic shoes or inserts if you have any one of the following conditions:
- Foot deformity
- Foot ulcers (in the past or current)
- Poor circulation in your feet
- Nerve damage in your feet with evidence of calluses
- Amputated foot (partial or complete)
- Calluses that could result in foot ulcers
A podiatrist or other qualified doctor must prescribe the shoes or inserts and certify that you are being treated for diabetes and have one of the conditions above. In addition, you must acquire the shoes or inserts from a specialist such as a podiatrist, orthotist, prosthetist, or pedorthist.
If you qualify, you can receive one pair of orthopedic shoes with a depth inlay (customizable insert) and three pairs of inserts per year. If you can’t wear orthopedic depth inlay shoes due to a foot deformity, you may instead receive one pair of custom-molded shoes with inserts, plus two additional pairs of inserts.
Diabetic Supplies Covered by Medicare Part D
If you inject insulin, Medicare Part D pays for the insulin and diabetic supplies used to administer your injections, including
- Syringes
- Needles
- Alcohol swabs
- Gauze
- Inhaled insulin devices
Note that Medicare Part D covers injectable insulin, whereas Medicare Part B covers insulin administered by an insulin pump (durable medical equipment).
In addition, Medicare Part D may cover prescription oral diabetes medications to control blood sugar levels. Classes of oral diabetes medications that may be paid for include:
- Sulfonylureas (such as glipizide/Glucotrol®, glyburide/Glynase® and glimepiride/ Amaryl®)
- Biguanides (such as metformin/Glucophage®)
- Thiazolidinediones (such as Avandia® and ACTOS®)
- Meglitinides (such as Starlix® and Prandin®)
- Alpha glucosidase inhibitors (such as Precose®)
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