6 Tips for Saving Money on Your Diabetes Care

diabetes care, type 2 diabetes, type 2 diabetes treatment

Something’s not quite right; not only do you have to take the time to deal with the variety of aggravations that come along with your diabetes care (extra doctors visits, carb counting, and blood sugar checks), but you also end up spending some serious money on your condition. Is there a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow waiting for you? The good news is, with a little bit of know-how, you can save some serious cash on screenings, supplies, and even preventative treatments. The best part is that we have done the research for you, so all you have to do is read on to discover how you can save money on your Type 2 Diabetes treatment and care.

diabetes care, type 2 diabetes, type 2 diabetes treatment
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Get Screened

Disease prevention and detecting health problems before they get out of control is key when it comes to keeping future medical expenses in control. If you have Type 2 Diabetes, your doctor should screen you regularly for retinopathy and nephropathy. Your doctor should also examine your feet to check and prevent problems. If you require Type 2 Diabetes treatment, the sooner you know, the better.

You don’t even need to go to your doctor to get health screenings. To save money, you can go to a community health center for your screenings. Local health departments, hospitals pharmacies, colleges, and even sports teams sponsor free health screenings. For example, Walgreens paired up with AARP for a cross country Wellness Tour. The tour provided free blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, body mass index, and body composition screenings. These free screenings can be very useful. Plus, they will save you the cost of going to the doctor for diabetes care even if it is just co-pay. You can’t beat that!

Clinical Trials

All drugs, drug therapies, and treatments get tested in clinical trials first. In fact, even bypass surgery was tested in a clinical trial. Simply put, clinical trials are research studies done on human volunteers. When you take part in a clinical trial, you may get free of charge, cutting-edge medical care, and you get access to the leading researchers on diabetes care.

Of course, every clinical trial has its own unique criteria for participation. For instance, one study may focus on people with Type 2 Diabetes while another may focus on individuals with Type 1 Diabetes. Some may specify the participant’s age or their treatment history for diabetes care, whereas certain trials try out things like new medications or focus on existing drugs.

Some may concentrate on surgical techniques and brand new therapies while others focus on disease prevention or even disease screening. To participate you may be asked to take certain medications, complete surveys, follow a particular diet or exercise program, and so on. The cherry on top is that in some cases, you may be compensated for your time.

Use your Insurance

Many insurance plans have specific diabetes care programs that come with free benefits. Some of the programs offer health education programs that come with recipes, medication tracking cards, and pedometers. Some even waive deductibles on some of your diabetic testing supplies. Some programs through insurance companies remind members of upcoming screenings and the need for relevant disease-related testing. Some provide patients access to wellness professionals they can contact when they have questions about their diabetes care. 

There are also insurance companies that provide a regular newsletter with tips for diabetics. You should also get as many supplies as your insurance plan will allow. Having extra supplies on hand can never be a bad thing. Plus, if you end up with extra test strips, you can sell them for some extra cash. There are companies out there that will pay for your extra diabetes care supplies.

Get Moving

Exercise doesn’t have to cost you a dime. Simply lace up your shoes and get moving. Jogging, hiking, and running are great, but walking is fine, too, if you are just starting out. Getting in shape can help you get your diabetes under control. In fact, in some cases, it can eliminate its symptoms altogether. How is that for saving money? You can also look for community exercise programs.

Many communities host free exercise classes you can take part in. You can join a free yoga session in the park or just try out your local gym for free as the first workout is usually free. As a matter of fact, you might even get the first free. You can also look into joining your local YMCA or community center. Memberships are usually affordable, and you have your choice of working out on machines, taking specialty classes, or swimming.

diabetes care, type 2 diabetes, type 2 diabetes treatment
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Get Online

The Internet is chock full of freebies. While you can’t believe every deal you find online, you can uncover a lot of no-fee programs that may help you better manage your diabetes. For instance, the ADA’s My Food Advisor will allow you to search for and develop nutritious meals. You can browse over 5,000 foods by simply typing them in or you can search for foods based on nutritional information.

For instance, you can search for foods with fewer than 15 grams of carbohydrates per serving. You can search recipes, even those from certain restaurants, and file them in your own virtual recipe box. You can make shopping lists and use the web to find support groups for other people going through the same struggles as you. Support groups can be very helpful and are usually free to join. You can swap recipes and tips with other members, which can be a tremendously helpful resource.

Look for Sales

Eating healthy is expensive. The cost of lean meats and fruits and veggies can really break the bank. Hence, it is vital to take advantage of sales and discounts. Read your weekly grocery circular and plan your meals based on what healthy options they have on sale that week. Next, don’t forget to clip or download your coupons. Coupons can save you a ton of money, especially when you go to a store that doubles coupons. Look for coupons online as well because printing coupons can save you a lot of money.

Consider buying your produce from a farm stand. Buying farm fresh is often cheaper. Plus, you’re getting veggies and fruits fresh out of the field. When you eat out, consider sharing your plate with you dining buddy. You usually don’t need to eat the large portion they give you in a restaurant anyway so you’re saving money and calories.

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Sourced from: everydayhealth.com