Medicare, administered by the Federal government, provides health insurance coverage to people age 65 and over, or who meet other special criteria. In 2007, Medicare provided health care coverage for 43 million Americans.

In general, individuals are eligible for Medicare if they are a U.S. citizen or have been a permanent legal resident for five continuous years and they are 65 years or older - or they are under 65, disabled and have been receiving either Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board disability benefits for at least 24 months, or they get continuing dialysis for permanent kidney failure or need a kidney transplant, or they have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS-Lou Gehrig's disease).

For diabetes patients, Medicare covers a glucose meter, meter strips, lancets, lancet devices, batteries and control solution for diabetic patients - and typically pays 80% of the cost. Co-pays and deductibles apply. If you have secondary insurance, it may cover the remaining 20%, so you could receive your supplies at no cost to you. Any out-of-pocket cost you may incur will depend on your insurance coverage and the state in which you live.

Diabetes Care Club processes thousands of Medicare claims for our members' testing supplies every month, handling all the paperwork. To find out if you qualify for a free Diabetes Care Club membership, just fill out and submit the form on the right side of this page and one of our Diabetic Care Coordinators will call you back promptly. Or call us directly, toll-free, at 1-800-840-7711. When you become a member, we'll file all Medicare claim forms for you - and you'll never have to make an upfront payment. If you don't have secondary coverage, you may qualify for our Financial Waiver Program, which waives the 20% not covered by Medicare.

Are you taking full advantage of what Medicare and your secondary insurance coverage will pay for your diabetes testing supplies? Call us today to find out - toll-free at 1-800-840-7711.