A free glucose meter. How is that possible?

In the past, glucose meters were occasionally provided free of charge. The meters were, for example, given away through the pharmacy or GP. It often involved meters of Accu-Chek and Bayer (now Ascension). Nowadays this no longer happens. But why were glucose meters provided for free? And what is the reason that manufacturers have stopped doing this?

Revenue model

Manufacturers did not provide the meters for free without reason, as you understand. If you have a meter from a certain brand, you will of course also need test strips and lancets for it. And only test strips and lancets from the same manufacturer fit your glucose meter. So there is a so-called 'lock in'. By providing the meter free of charge, the manufacturer assures itself of a certain sales volume in test strips and lancets.

The free meter was a lure to capture customers. After all, you are not likely to change glucose meters if they are working well. A manufacturer can accurately estimate how many strips a person with diabetes uses on average, and could therefore make a good estimate of what a free meter would yield for them. The model is reminiscent of printers. A printer often comes with a cartridge or toner for free. But when the ink needs to be refilled, you suddenly see how expensive that component really is.

Insurers

The reimbursements that health insurers granted for test strips used to be much higher than they are now. The manufacturers took advantage of this. By giving away meters for free, they knew for sure that a user would take X number of test strips. This was a useful revenue model, especially because the insurer still reimbursed the strips at the time. Nowadays, however, insurers almost never reimburse the test strips. Compensation can only be claimed if insulin is injected. And that compensation is much lower than before.

Shift to sensors

Type 1 diabetes patients are using test strips less and less. This group of people now uses sensor technology en masse, with the FreeStyle Libre being the best known. When using a sensor, virtually no strips are needed anymore. At most as a calibration method. The whole model of using a glucose meter and test strips in a certain ratio has ceased in this group of patients.

Where type 1 patients used to measure once a day (or even more often), this group has now switched en masse to the sensor. And Type 2 diabetics measure less often. Some once a week, others even once a month. Manufacturers therefore earn much less on the test strips.

The result is that giving away glucose meters for free is suddenly no longer feasible for manufacturers. Less is simply earned on test strips and lancets – the disposables. And so the manufacturer now also has to make some money from the purchase of the glucose meter. A bit, because the prices at which they are now offered (a starter package for about 15 euros) are actually still very low. But giving it away completely for free is no longer an option.