Price Chopper Offers More Free Diabetic Supplies

CAROL ANGRISANI

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — Price Chopper Supermarkets has added a glucose monitor to the list of free items for members of its diabetes management program.

All those who join Diabetes AdvantEdge and fill a prescription get a free UltraTrak Pro blood glucose monitoring system. Members also get 50 UltraTrak Pro test strips at an everyday low price of $19.97.

A Price Chopper spokeswoman was unavailable for comment.

Launched in May, Diabetes AdvantEdge already offers other free items, including diabetes medications like metformin, glipizide and glyburide. Patients filling diabetes-related prescriptions also receive free Price Chopper-brand ultra-thin lancets, auto-lancing devices, insulin syringes and pen needles.

Price Chopper started the program to give diabetes patients more access to medication, increased support and information as well as educational opportunities on nutrition, healthy food choices and diabetes management.

As part of the initiative, Price Chopper pharmacists take a more active role in helping diabetics by educating patients on the use of blood sugar recording logs, and other tools.

Among other resources for diabetics, Price Chopper launched a free diabetes shopping guide that can be downloaded from www.pricechopper.com. The guide includes information on which foods can help control diabetes, as well as information on exercise, and more.

Price Chopper's Diabetes AdvantEdge comes at a time when other retailers have made diabetes management a priority. Publix Super Markets, Lakeland, Fla., for instance, launched a multifaceted diabetes initiative that includes free generic metformin, a free Publix-brand diabetes meter and a voucher for $10 off a co-pay for 100-count test strips. Publix also provides home delivery of diabetic testing supplies.