I have newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes, and I am currently looking for a blood glucose monitor. The ones I have found so far are expensive, and I have no insurance so cost is very important. Do you have any suggestions?

You can get just about any of the meters for little or nothing, if you get a special offer. That’s because the meter companies operate on the razor blade principle where the real cost is for the blades, not the razor. Likewise, the big cost will be for the test strips. So the real question is, what are the least expensive test strips?

MediSense makes the Wal-Mart ReliOn brand of blood glucose meter, almost certainly the lowest cost meter and test strip supply on the market. The meter is available at Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores. It requires a 4�L (4 microliter) drop of blood and requires 20 seconds to test, and it lacks a data port. I just checked the ReliOn Web site. It shows the meter, lancing device, 10 lancets, and 10 test strips for $8.88. Then, 100 test strips are $42.48.

DM
Additional comments from Jeff Hitchcock, The Editor:

We have a review of the ReliOn meter.

JSH

[Editor’s comment: Also, the information at Blood Glucose Meters, Insurance/Costs, and On-line Diabetes Resources Part 2: General Web Sites (scroll down to the insurance section) might be of help to you.

WWQ]