Monday, January 25, 2016

Black Market Product?

   Some things I just don't understand. One of them is the widespread appeal to buy diabetic test strips.  The want  ads are everywhere, from the bulletin board at the grocery store to want ads in almost every newspaper.  It sounds like a black market item, but evidently not illegal since the ads to buy are so open.  Maybe more of a gray market?  Say the strips are expensive, but covered by Medicare for patients with diabetes. So those diabetics without coverage cannot afford them, and want to buy them cheaper than pharmacy prices.  But the diabetics who have coverage for the strips should be using them, one would think, rather than selling  them.  Do people fake having diabetes so they can get the strips and then sell them?  How much profit can there be in the sale of hot (or warm) diabetic test strips?
     I notice that those who sponsor the local online community garage sales will not allow baby formula to be sold on the site, the reason being that parents are issued a free government supply, but sell it instead of feeding it to their babies.  Hopefully, the babies are fed something which at least equals the benefits of the formula.  I don't know of a substitute for a diabetic test strip though.

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