Okay, friends with diabetes. I know these economic times can be tough, but I think I just found a new way to make some extra cash that makes me deeply uncomfortable: selling your extra unused test strips.
I was followed on Twitter by an account called "Sell Test Strips", and their page links to Sell My Diabetic Test Strips-dot com. Their Twitter account is a rolling ad for how much money people made off of selling their test strips--for cash! It's one thing to sell your unwanted gold for cash, as all the ads on TV seem to be pushing these days. You don't really need extra gold for anything, unless you are trying to pop out your gold-filled teeth.
Sell My Test Strips doesn't give us much information. Who gets the test strips after you sell them? What are they doing with the strips? Will they be donated to families with diabetes in need? Will they be sold off to someone else for cost, which, um, when last I checked sounds pretty illegal?
At least Cash 4 Diabetic Supplies-dot-com states that your unused supplies will either help a person with diabetes or a pet with diabetes in need; however, this site still doesn't say "reputable" to me.
If for some reason you are bogged down with an excess of test strips, whether they are for a meter you no longer use, from a relative with diabetes who has unfortunately passed away, or you (just like Halle Berry) have found some kind of miracle cure for your diabetes, there are places which will take flat-out donations of test strips and other supplies. For example, Act 1 Diabetes.
Also, the members of the DiabetesOC always seem to be looking out for each other. I have seen multiple examples in the past of bloggers helping bloggers (or readers)!
Bottom Line: if I'm sending my unused test strips somewhere, I'd rather know they are going to go directly to a person who will be using them, without a doubt, then some anonymous warehouse which will send me cash while my test strips expire and can no longer help anyone...human or animal.
How do you feel about selling your unwanted diabetes supplies for cash? Have you been able to donate your unused supplies to someone? If so, where and how did you do it?
Unless you paid cash, full price for them, no. The last thing insurance companies need is a reason to limit our coverage on strips ("well, you must account for each strip we pay for or we'll lower your allotment")
ReplyDeleteI'm okay with giving away ones you got from the company as promotions or whatever (and I've gotten about 200 strips that way in the last couple years) but if your insurance paid for your strips, then using them for someone who isn't you (or maybe a family member covered by the same plan) is fraud. However, if I get 10 strips free from the company, I might say that I can do what I want with 10 other strips.
ReplyDeleteBut no selling them!
Hey Hannah , whenever I buy test strips from people I always treat them with repect. I know the concept of selling you test strips sounds weird but it is not illegal. My company works as a supplier by finding extra test strips from people who do not need them anymore and I sell them other businesses that sell them at discount. I did notice that some other websites try and may it sound like they are DONATING the test strips to needy people. Umm do I beleive that no.
ReplyDeleteTake care and thanks for noticing me on Twitter.
Steve
Thanks for the ACT1 shout out! I just wanted to comment to anonymous or anyone one else who may be skeptical, we do in fact DONATE all incoming test strips and other non-rx diabetes supplies. We have had many succesful supply exchanges from people who have had excess to people in desperate need. It makes all the difference in the world to someone who has had a sudden insurance crisis and cannot afford to test his/her bg to have these free programs. They are crucial in this time of economic uncertainty and lack of safety nets for our chronically ill/diabetic population. Please do help a fellow diabetic in need if you can when you have these extra supplies! http://www.act1diabetes.org/campaigns/supply-exchange-program/
ReplyDeleteThanks again,
Katie (katie@act1diabetes.org)
Actually there is nothing illegal about selling your test strips at all. Whether you purchased them yourself or whether they were supplied through your insurance company. Once the strips are given to you they are considered yours and you may do with them what you want. I can't speak for other people but my company will purchase them and then we resell them to a wholesaler who then sells them to an end buyer. It actually is a win, win, win situation. The person with excess strips gets some cash for them. I make a little money by purchasing and reselling them. And the end buyer is able to purchase them at a much lower cost than retail. Note, we only deal with test strips that are sealed, unused and at least 6 months out from expiration. In some cases where they are less than 6 months out from expiration we will donate them. Either way, people without insurance, or who are under-insured are still able to get something that they have to have either free or at a highly reduced price. Hope this makes you feel a little more comfortable about the situation. Sure, there are scam artists out there in every business, but not everyone is and it's unfortunate that all get blamed because of the actions of a few.
ReplyDelete