7 Things You Need to Know Before Purchasing Diabetes Supplies
Have you been diagnosed with either type 1 or typ2 diabetes? If
you have, you may be wondering where the best place is to
purchase the diabetes supplies that you need. With today's
technology, the avenues available to you are plentiful. However,
you may still have questions as to which place is the best for
your particular situation. These tips will help you answer those
questions.
1- When you are beginning your search for a diabetic supply
source, it is important to know what to look for. While you can
purchase the needed supplies from your doctor, online or through
a mail order company, some important questions need to be
answered before you decide. You will need to know where they are
located, what the hours of operation are, how qualified the
staff is to answer questions and how they will ship the diabetes
supplies to you.
2- First, do not deal with any diabetes supply company that is
not based in the United States or in Canada. The reason for this
is simple, if the supply company is not in North America,
shipping tends to be less dependable and your supplies could be
held in customs. Avoid supply sources that are located in South
America, Asia or Mexico for these reasons.
3- While you are conducting your search, be sure go check that
the companies you are considering have an actual address that
isn't a P.O. Box. What you are looking for is that any diabetes
supply company you are thinking of purchasing from is a real
company, not someone who is, for instance, buying and reselling
supplies.
4- Be sure to ask for a telephone number that you can use if
something goes wrong with your order. The best option here is to
use a company that has a 1-800 number that is answered 24 hours
a day. It is also important to test that number before you
decide to buy from that company. Don't just take their word that
they have the number actually test it. Ask the person who
answers the phone some basic questions about a specific diabetes
supply; you want to know that they have knowledgeable people
answering questions.
5- While you are checking for a knowledgeable staff, ask if they
have a pharmacist on staff. If they don't, find out if they have
a certified diabetes educator on staff that can answer your
questions. This will help to ensure that you are dealing with a
reputable firm and not a fly by night company.
6- You also want to know who fills out the insurance or Medicare
paperwork. Most larger, well-run diabetes supply companies will
offer this service for you as an added benefit. They will know
what the insurance companies require to process a claim. If they
offer this to you, use the service to your advantage. It is also
a good idea to contact your insurance company to verify that
they work with a particular diabetes supply source.
7- Shipping is very important when purchasing diabetes supplies.
Find out how they ship the products, this information could
ensure that you get supplies that are good and that have not
gone bad in transit. Insulin, for example needs to be kept cold
to stay useable, ask how they ensure this. Ask about shipping
charges also, some companies will offer free shipping as an
incentive to buy from them. However, if they don't, the shipping
can get expensive.