Diabetic Supplies That Are Covered By Medicare?

Medicare covers the cost of many basic diabetic supplies that are needed by individuals who have Diabetes. These supplies are covered under the Medicare Part B program that covers medical expenses and the Medicare Part D program that covers prescription drugs. Individuals who require diabetic supplies must prove that they are necessary. This usually involves receiving a prescription from a doctor for all of the required supplies. This prescription should include the amount of each item that is needed for a single month. Medicare usually does not cover extra supplies beyond this amount.

Medicare Part B covers the purchase of a blood glucose meter, the lancets and the testing strips that are required to use the device. These basic supplies are provided for any diabetic that is covered by Medicare. Individuals with severe cases of diabetes can acquire coverage for a certain amount of insulin and any injection systems that are used each month through the Medicare Part D program. Medicare Part D will also pay for alcohol swabs and a number of other peripheral medical supplies that are used by a diabetic while injecting insulin.

There are some diabetic supplies that Medicare will cover if an individual can prove a medical need for the items. Diabetic inserts or custom diabetic shoes are covered by Medicare if the individual making the request has some type of material foot issue related to the disease. There are also a number of different services that are covered by Medicare that can make living with diabetes easier. These services include self-management classes, regular screenings for glaucoma that could be related to diabetes and nutritional therapy that can potentially reduce the amount of testing or insulin that is needed each month.

The coverage that Medicare provides for diabetic supplies and services does not necessarily pay for the entire cost of the supplies. There is often a standard co-payment that cannot be waived. Some of the supplies actually require that the recipient pay up to 20 percent or more of the cost. There are some programs that are provided through services like Medicaid that can be used to supplement Medicare coverage to help absorb the extra cost of diabetic supplies.