CINCINNATI — Diabetes patients at Kroger pharmacies who have private insurance can pay $4 for blood-glucose test strips, the supermarket operator said.

Kroger said insured patients could pay a $4 co-pay for Kroger Premium test strips. People with diabetes can spend as much as $1,000 per year out of pocket on test strips alone, Kroger said.

"We listen to our customers, and one of their main worries is that their co-pay on blood-glucose test strips continues to rise," Kroger pharmacy marketing manager Teri Rose said. "Our Kroger $4 co-pay program immediately addresses that situation. Our hope is that by providing real savings, our customers can afford other medications, diabetic supplies or even healthy food items."

Kroger said that unlike co-pay buy-down programs offered by many blood-glucose test strip companies, Kroger's program would not require patients to carry or renew any type of membership card.

Interested in this topic? Sign up for our weekly DSN Collaborative Care e-newsletter.