Individuals with diabetes track their blood glucose (sugar) levels at home to see trends, get advice on diet and medicine, and increase the amount of time their blood glucose stays within a certain range. Some people use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), while others may prefer a blood glucose meter (glucometer). Convenient and helpful in lowering A1C levels, CGMs notify you when your blood sugar levels deviate from your target range.
Diabetes can be more easily managed with CGMs instead of finger pricks. These devices measure and record your blood sugar levels automatically throughout the day using a tiny sensor that is implanted beneath the skin. This enables you to:
- Improve your glucose levels using real-time feedback.
- Track variations in blood sugar levels
- Spend more time within your goal range.
- Diminish the likelihood of specific ailments, like hyperglycemia (an excessively high blood sugar level) and hypoglycemia (an underlying blood sugar level).
These programs can assist in the management of various forms of diabetes, such as:
- Diabetes type 1
- Diabetes type 2
- Gestational diabetes, Some people develop gestational diabetes, a form of the disease, during pregnancy.
What is the typical retail price for a continuous glucose monitor?
CGM’s annual expenditures, including an annual receiver, sensors, and a transmitter if necessary, can range from less than $2,000 to over $7,000 without insurance or discounts. However, CGM typically costs $100 to $300 every month, or $1,200 to $3,600 yearly, according to Forbes Health.
Your payment may change depending on the type and kind of CGM you use. However, usually speaking, you’ll need to buy:
- Interchangeable sensors
- Unless it’s a component of the disposable sensor, a transmitter
- An annual recipient or reader, if required
Is the cost of continuous glucose monitoring covered by insurance?
If you have a prescription for a CGM, the majority of health insurance policies will pay for the device and the supplies that go with it.
Medicare Original
Assuming you meet specific requirements, Medicare Part B, assuming you have original Medicare, will fund self-testing supplies and equipment as durable medical equipment for diabetics. Items that are covered include:
- CGMs and the supplies they need
- Test strips and blood glucose meters, or glucose meters
- Lancets and lancet devices
- Instruments to verify the precision of the testing apparatus
Only pharmacies or suppliers who accept the assignment to complete your Medicare-covered prescription will receive an upfront payment from Original Medicare for CGMs and the related supplies. You only have to pay the coinsurance if you fill your prescription at one of these pharmacies. However, if you fill your prescription at a facility that does not take Medicare, you might have to pay the full amount due or wait for Medicare to reimburse you.
For other purposes or to verify the accuracy of your CGM, you might require a manual glucometer. Whether or whether you take insulin may affect how your plan pays for a glucometer and the related supplies. For instance, if you take insulin, you might be qualified for 300 lancets and 300 test strips every three months. If not, you might only be eligible for coverage for a maximum of 100 lancets and 100 test strips every three months. Medicare, however, can create an exemption to coverage and let you obtain more supplies than the usual limit if your doctor finds them to be medically essential.
Medicare Advantage and other health insurance plans
CGM and supply coverage for Medicare Advantage plans is equal to or greater than that of traditional Medicare. Also, the majority of state Medicaid programs and Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans provide coverage for these devices. Tricare will cover the devices under specific circumstances.
The majority of people with commercial health insurance pay less than $40 per month out of pocket for sensors, according to Abbott, the manufacturer of numerous FreeStyle Libre CGM systems.
Continuous glucose monitors for non-diabetic individuals
Some CGM users do not have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Athletes, for instance, sometimes utilize these devices to aid increase their mental or physical performance. Additionally, some people take them to aid in the prevention of diabetes.
In March 2024, the FDA approved the Dexcom Stelo, the first over-the-counter (OTC) continuous glucose monitor, and it became obtainable for purchase. This implies that you don’t need a prescription to purchase the gadget, which is advised for those who don’t take insulin. In June 2024, the FDA approved Abbott’s Lingo, an over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor for non-diabetics, and Libre Rio, an over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor for diabetics who do not take insulin.
Although experts advise against using CGMs in individuals without diabetes, they may be beneficial for those with prediabetes (abnormal glucose levels). Nevertheless, if you have gestational diabetes or prediabetes (as opposed to Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes), your health insurance may not pay for CGM expenses. As the figure below summarizes, CGM costs are often not covered by health insurance for individuals without diabetes.
Diabetes Status and Health Insurance Coverage for CGM Systems
| Condition | Will insurance likely cover a CGM system? |
| No diabetes | Probably not |
| Prediabetes | Maybe |
| Gestational diabetes | Maybe |
| Type 1 diabetes | Yes |
| Type 2 diabetes | Yes |
For further information, find out whether and how CGM systems for those without a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes diagnosis are covered by contacting your insurance plan.
Read Next Vacuum Decay Testing for Continuous Glucose Monitors: Ensuring Reliability and Performance
How much should you budget for additional supplies and gadgets for diabetes monitoring?
Those who use CGMs to check their blood sugar levels at home would also need to buy additional necessary items, such as:
- Adhesive skin patches to keep the CGM attached
- Lancets, blood glucose meter, and CGM calibration strips
- Connecting a smart device, like a smartphone, to the CGM
It’s crucial to remember that individuals who use continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) also keep utilizing glucometers to calibrate the device or when blood glucose readings from a finger prick don’t match the CGM result. As a backup, you can utilize a glucometer in case your CGM stops working.
If you have Type 1 diabetes, you have the option to adopt an automated insulin delivery system (AID), which modifies insulin dosage based on CGM readings. The components of AID systems are as follows:
- CGM
- insulin-producing pump
- Software that calculates insulin requirements and tells the pump when to release insulin
Your blood sugar can stay in the normal range for longer when you have an artificial insulin pump (AID) in place of a functioning pancreas. Also, this approach can aid in preventing complications associated with diabetes. Without insurance or savings, the annual cost of an AID system can reach $6,000 or higher.
One of the biggest problems for a lot of people with Type 1 diabetes is the cost of diabetic technologies, such as CGMs, out of pocket. Even with health insurance, some people cannot afford these systems without financial support.
Savings options
Discounts and copay help are available for specific CGMs. As previously indicated, the company that makes Dexcom systems provides a patient aid program to qualified individuals (regardless of insurance status) and a copay savings program for those with commercial health insurance.
Medsupply, meanwhile, offers discounts that could reduce the cost of certain CGM systems including:
- Dexcom G6
- Dexcom G7
- FreeStyle Libre 14-Day
- FreeStyle Libre 2
- FreeStyle Libre 3
What continuous glucose monitor is the least expensive?
Among the least expensive CGM systems are Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre models. As indicated, most consumers with commercial health insurance spend less than $40 a month for sensors that go with these systems. If the price for two sensors is more than $75, you can get a voucher from the company’s customer service department to pay less. Through the MyFreeStyle program, you can be eligible for a free sensor if you have business insurance or pay for yourself.
Can you obtain a free continuous glucose monitor?
Certain Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) devices provide complimentary trials. If a person with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes is not currently using a CGM device, they may be eligible for a free 10-day Dexcom G7 sensor. Additionally, Abbott offers new users of the FreeStyle Libre 2 or FreeStyle Libre 3 system a free 14-day sensor.
Is it possible to purchase a continuous glucose monitor with an HSA or FSA?
Yes, you may typically deduct the cost of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) from your health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) using tax-advantaged money.
For those with high-deductible health plans, there is an HSA. An HSA is a financial tool that you can use to cover eligible medical costs; it is independent of your employer and belongs to you.
Employers sponsor FSAs and set the annual contribution cap. By the end of the year, you must use the money from an FSA or you run the risk of losing it.
In summary
For those who require continuous monitoring of their blood glucose levels, continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs, are helpful. These devices don’t need several finger pricks each day, in contrast to glucometers that rely on test strips. Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) devices can be expensive, though, particularly if your health insurance does not pay for them.
The brand and the necessary individual parts, like a transmitter and changeable sensors, usually determine the cost. The annual cost of a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) can range from less than $2,000 to $7,000 in the absence of insurance or discounts. An approximate annual cost of $1,200 to $3,600 is associated with a CGM system.
