If you live with diabetes, you know that one of the biggest challenges is keeping your blood sugar at close-to-normal levels. It’s important to maintain glucose levels as close to normal as possible to help reduce the chance of any diabetes-related health problems.

Using a blood glucose meter to check your blood sugar levels is an important part of your diabetes care. Your doctor will let you know how often you should check your blood sugar. You’ll also get a prescription for diabetic test strips that work with your meter.

And if you have Prime Therapeutics (Prime) as your pharmacy benefit manager, you may now pay a lower amount (copay or coinsurance) when buying certain diabetic test strips at the pharmacy or through the home delivery program.

Log in to your Blue Access for Members^SM (BAM^SM) or myprime.com  account to see how much your test strips will cost. Depending on your plan, you may now pay a lower cost for some diabetic test strips.

Any dispensing limits will still apply. You may also need to pay an added charge if you use certain pharmacies, such as a non-preferred pharmacy (for plans on the Preferred Pharmacy Network) or out-of-network pharmacy (for any plan).

This information is intended for members who have Prime Therapeutics (Prime) pharmacy administration. If you’re not sure if you have Prime, check your Blue Access for Members account, ask your benefits administrator, check the pharmacy information on your member ID card or call the customer service number on your member ID card.

Prime Therapeutics is a separate pharmacy benefit management company contracted by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) to provide pharmacy benefit management and related other services. The relationship between BCBSIL and contracting pharmacies is that of independent contractors. Myprime.com is an online resource offered by Prime Therapeutics.

A “preferred” or “participating” pharmacy has a contract with BCBSIL or BCBSIL’s pharmacy benefit manager (Prime) to provide pharmacy services at a negotiated rate. The terms “preferred” and “participating” should not be construed as a recommendation, referral or any other statement as to the ability or quality of such pharmacy.