Does Medicare Cover Glucose Control Solutions?

Blood sugar control solutions help make sure your blood glucose meter and test strips are working correctly.

Medicare covers different kinds of Durable Medical Equipment (DME) in different ways. Depending on the type of equipment:

• You may need to rent the equipment.
• You may need to buy the equipment.
• You may be able to choose whether to rent or buy the equipment.
• Some items become your property after you’ve made a certain number of rental payments.

Medicare covers blood sugar control solutions if you have diabetes.

Make sure your doctors and DME suppliers are enrolled in Medicare and will accept assignment. Medicare will only pay for DME items if you get them from suppliers who are enrolled in Medicare. It’s also important to ask your suppliers if they participate in Medicare or will accept assignment of your claims before you get DME.

After you meet the Part B deductible, you pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount (if your supplier accepts assignment).

If suppliers are participating in Medicare, they must accept assignment (which means, they can charge you only the coinsurance and Part B deductible for the Medicare-approved amount). A non-participating provider doesn't have to accept assignment of your claims, but may choose to do so in your case.

If DME suppliers aren't participating suppliers or won't accept assignment of your claims, you may be charged more. For rented DME, make sure the supplier is willing to accept assignment of your claims for all rental months. If the claim isn't assigned, you must pay for the full cost upfront. If this happens, Medicare will pay you later for the amount it covers after your claims have been processed.