Are you wondering why people have started to sell diabetic test strips? There are a few interesting reasons. Read our article to learn all about them.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes. That’s 9.3% of the population. For those with diabetes, diabetic test strips are essential for their treatment. In “Test strip supply linked to better diabetes care” The Chicago Tribune references a study that proves more access to strips means better health for diabetes patients.
Unfortunately, not everyone is getting the amount of diabetic test strips they need to maintain their health. Diabetic test strips are in such high demand people have begun to sell diabetic test strips. In fact, there is a such a frenzy for the product, retailers like CVS have started storing diabetic test strips behind locked glass to deter robberies.
Unfortunately, the need is so great, there are individuals who are taking care of the system. They try to trick diabetes sufferers and steal important information. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has linked diabetic test strips to fraud and misbehavior. Even so, diabetic test strips are a necessary tool for treating the disease. You may even be surprised to find that retailers have started buying diabetic test strips back from third parties to sell to their customers. Those who have access to an extra supply may be considering how to sell them legally. They may wonder how can I sell diabetic test strips? Others who may have watched a news story, caught an internet ad, or even spied a sign advertising diabetic in their neighborhood may be curious:
Why Have People Started Selling Diabetic Test Strips? Ready to find out? Let’s go:
There’s a Major Need
First off, there’s a major need for diabetic test strips. As Rachel Kostelac, spokeswoman for Pennsylvania Department of Human Services explains:
“Diabetic test strips are expensive, and for some people with diabetes, insurance doesn’t provide as many strips as a health care provider might recommend.”
The piece in USA Today points out the disparity in need between Type I and Type II diabetes:
Type I Diabetes and Diabetic Test Strips
“Those with Type I diabetes might need more test strips than their insurance provides,” said Debra Bell, Family First Health director of clinical quality improvement. “A (Type I) person has to have some way to check their blood sugar because their pancreas doesn’t create insulin.”
Type II Diabetes and Diabetic Test Strips
In contrast, those with Type II diabetes might end up with an excess of test strips. Matt Petersen, a managing director at American Diabetes Association says:
“Some people are provided a fixed number of test strips every month whether they use them or not. People who don’t use insulin don’t necessarily need to test very often — the frequency is up to them and their doctor.”
The Benefits of Selling Diabetic Test Strips
People sell diabetic test strips because there is an imbalance between need and supply. Simply put, some people have too many. Others don’t have enough. Beyond the need, there are three basic reasons why people sell diabetic test strips:
- To Make Money
- To Help Others
- Both
1. Sell Diabetic Test Strips to Make Money
There is a lot of money to be made by selling diabetic test strips. Here’s how it sometimes works, according to NPR:
A buyer operates her business out of her dining room. She has a cardboard box with about 20 boxes of test strips inside. “She might pay $50 a box. It depends on the brand, the condition of the box, and the expiration date for the test strips. Then she sells them at a markup to the next part of this chain: retailers.”
Some of these people are making a lot of money for themselves as a result of selling diabetic test strips. There is nothing wrong with making money when you sell diabetic test strips. Selling your own supply is not illegal. But when greedy profiteers are attempting to make money off sufferers and commit fraud things get into a gray area.
Beware
Unfortunately, those selling diabetic test strips need to beware. There are dangerous buyers and sellers in the market. In the All Things Considered piece referenced above, “The Murky World Of Secondhand Diabetic Test Strips,” NPR warns:
“It starts to look a little seedy.” They call some dealers “gray market” middlemen. And it’s true. There are many pitfalls to buying and when you buy and sell diabetic test strips. Who can you trust? Will you get cheated on either end?
Dr. Sherita Golden, of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, is concerned:
“She said the test strips are the most expensive part of glucose monitoring. She feels that the entrepreneurs who often advertise in low-income neighborhoods are targeting the disadvantaged. It was heartbreaking to me that patients would find themselves in a situation where they would feel this is a way to make extra income and perhaps not do as well with their diabetes self-care.”
2. Sell Diabetic Test Strips to Help Others
There are many aspects to be wary of when you buy and sell diabetic test strips. But to many, having access to diabetic test strips means hope. In the NPR All Things Considered piece, one diabetes patient said:
“It was like having a life sentence and then realizing that there’s a cure.” When done properly, buying and selling diabetic test strips can help others.
3. You Can Also Make Money and Help Others
It’s clear that diabetic test strips are valuable. Many people can make good money selling their extra test strips. It’s also clear you can help others when selling your diabetic test strips.
We’ll explain how it works:
At QuickCash4TestStrips.com we are unlike other companies or “seedy gray markets.”
We offer two distinct benefits:
1. Make Money: When you sell your unused test strips, we distribute them at our cost to diabetics in our local community.
We then re-sell them outside of our area at 75 to 80 percent below retail.
2. Help Others: You’ll be helping diabetics who may be unemployed, uninsured or who have great difficulty affording the test strips they need.
You need a professional approach that benefits everyone. Let us help you get started making money and helping others right away!
Contact us today.