What is FreeStyle Libre and How Much Does it Cost?

Glucose is a very serious matter for diabetics. As a result, there is enormous interest in tools that can be used to make monitoring glucose easier, as shown by the continuing rise of continuous glucose monitors such as FreeStyle Libre. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, continuous glucose monitors provide their users with a constant stream of information about their blood glucose, which is made possible by a small electrode placed beneath the skin that comes with a transmitted that can be used to send the relevant information to a receiver that the user can see.

Should You Use FreeStyle Libre?

Continuous glucose monitors can provide their users with a number of important benefits. For example, there are a lot of people out there who are less than enthusiastic about having to prick themselves on a regular basis, not least because the process tends to be both painful and unpleasant. By choosing to use a continuous glucose monitor, said individuals can eliminate most of their need for said practice, thus making managing their condition a little bit easier.

On top of this, it should be mentioned that continuous glucose monitors have other upsides as well. One example would be their incredible convenience, seeing as how interested individuals can check their glucose by just taking a look at their receiver instead of having a perform a much more complicated and time-consuming ritual. Another example would be the increased amount of information that is made available to the user, seeing as how continuous glucose monitors don’t just take a single measurement at the time of use but instead collects information over time so that interested individuals will have a much more comprehensive set of data to work with.

Of course, the FreeStyle Libre comes with its own features that can make it even better-suited to certain individuals. First, it is discreet, not least because the receiver can get data from the sensor so long as it is situated within 1 to 4 cms. Second, it has been water-proofed, meaning that it can be used even when the user is either bathing, showering, swimming, or otherwise exposed to water for prolonged periods of time.

Summed up, it is clear that the FreeStyle Libre can offer diabetics with plenty of usefulness. However, there is still the issue of cost, which can see some variation depending on where interested individuals go shopping.

What Will FreeStyle Libre Cost You?

For starters, interested individuals should know that FreeStyle Libre isn’t covered by either Medicare, Medicaid, or health insurance policies. This is because the FreeStyle Libre is still too new, meaning that the people behind it are still involved in negotiations with the relevant parties to settle on various matters. As a result, while it is certainly possible that the FreeStyle Libre will be covered in the future, interested individuals will need to pay out of their own pockets for the time being. As for what they can expect to be covered in the future, well, there isn’t enough information to say for sure, not least because health insurance policies can see so much variation. With that said, coverage seems very probable, not least because the FDA has approved the FreeStyle Libre as a replacement for the traditional monitoring method.

Moving on, interested individuals can expect a couple of components for the cost of the FreeStyle Libre. First, there is the cost of the receiver. This should be a one-time cost, assuming that the user doesn’t either lose or damage it to the point of uselessness. There have been reports of Walmart selling the receiver for $69.99, but other prices with other retailers have ranged from $83.99 to $96.99. Second, there is the cost of the sensor for the FreeStyle Libre, which lasts for a total of 10 days. As a result, interested individuals can expect to pay for three of them over the course of a month. Once again, Walmart offers the sensors at around $35.99, which makes for around $108 over the course of a single month. Meanwhile, other retailers have prices that range from $42.99 to $52.99, thus making for a range from $129 to $159 in a single month.

Summed up, the FreeStyle Libre can be a notable expense because it will continue to occur in month after month because of the sensors. Due to this, interested individuals should give careful thought to whether it will be worth the increased convenience, particularly since there is bound to be information about coverage coming out at some point in the future.

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