INR

[carolinemc]

I have been on Medicare for a long time. I have home tested weekly for 10-15 years and have always had it covered by MC. I have a co-pay of $4/test and receive all testing materials (meter, strips, lancets) free of charge. I test every Wednesday in the AM.....a 10 minute test in my pajamas. Weekly testing may be "overkill" since my INR is seldom out of range..........but maybe weekly testing helps me stay in range with only minor warfarin adjustments (seldom needed). My PCP is notified of my INR without cost to me. I think he receives a monitoring fee from my INR management company. IMO, if self-testing is feasible for you.......take a look at it.

I may take a look at it with Social Security, since I am a newbie to that world. And I will ask the testing people also. They are connected to my charity hospital. But where do you get the testing stirps? At a pharmacy like Walmart? Just wondering.

 

[dick0236]

I may take a look at it with Social Security, since I am a newbie to that world. And I will ask the testing people also. They are connected to my charity hospital. But where do you get the testing stirps? At a pharmacy like Walmart? Just wondering.

Your doc has to write you an Rx for the service. I use a service that is a subsidiary of Roche. Call them at 800-852-8766 or roche.com for full information. I have used a couple of different services over the years and Roche has been the best I have dealt with.

 

[pellicle]

But where do you get the testing stirps? At a pharmacy like Walmart

Ebay...

 

[dick0236]

Ebay...

That is true Pel if you need to buy direct or choose not to use insurance. If you want Medicare to pay you must go thru a program with a participating INR program provider. I've done it both ways in the past and going thru Medicare is cheaper and with less hassle or surprises than Ebay.......I was among those who got caught up in the INRatio problem a few years ago......I still have the unusable meter and some expired strips that I purchased thru Ebay.

Rouche Patient Services, who is my provider, automatically sends me strips faster than I can use them (I seldom waste a strip) and I have to call them, from time to time, to stop my automatic shipments for a bit.

 

[Superman]

I use a Michigan based company called Realtime Diagnostics. They partner with my Dr and insurance. I pay about $11 a month out of pocket. That covers use of the testing machine and all supplies.

 

[pellicle]

If you want Medicare to pay you must go thru a program with a participating INR program provider. I've done it both ways in the past and going thru Medicare is cheaper and with less hassle or surprises than Ebay

I wasn't sure if Medicare covered them ... doesn't here. So I'm out of pocket if I want to avoid labs (who btw DO get medicare cover) (but our Medicare is "Different")