Is it legal to sell unused diabetic test strips?

One of the most common questions people have before selling unused diabetic supplies is whether it's actually legal. The short answer is yes — and the rules are straightforward.

The basic rule: OTC supplies are your property

Diabetic test strips, CGM sensors, lancets, and most insulin pump supplies are classified as over-the-counter medical devices. That means they can be purchased without a prescription and are considered your personal property once you have them. Selling personal property is legal in all 50 states.

This applies regardless of whether your insurance paid for them, whether you ordered them through a pharmacy or a DME supplier, or how many boxes you have. The supplies are yours to sell.

The one exception: Medicare and Medicaid labels

There is a firm federal restriction on reselling supplies labeled "For Medicare Use Only," "For Medicaid Use Only," or "Not for Resale." These labels indicate the supplies were purchased through a government program, and reselling them violates federal law — specifically 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b, which prohibits Medicare/Medicaid fraud.

Supplies purchased through private insurance — employer plans, ACA Marketplace plans, TRICARE, or out of pocket — carry no such restriction and can be freely resold.

What about the supplies my doctor prescribed?

Prescription status doesn't matter here. Test strips and CGM sensors may require a prescription to be covered by insurance, but the device itself is OTC. What matters is how they were paid for — private insurance or self-pay is fine; Medicare/Medicaid is not.

Is there a limit on how much you can sell?

No federal law limits the quantity of OTC medical supplies you can sell as an individual. Whether you have 2 boxes or 200, there's no legal ceiling. If you have very large quantities, a reputable buyer will simply ask where they came from — that's standard due diligence, not a red flag.

What do buyers check for?

Legitimate buyers like TestStrip Buyback USA verify three things: that supplies are factory-sealed and unopened, that they're not expired or close to expiring, and that they carry no Medicare/Medicaid labels. We don't purchase anything that doesn't meet all three criteria.