Selling Diabetic Supplies After a Death or Divorce

Losing a family member or going through a major life change is hard enough. Finding boxes of unused diabetic supplies afterward — and not knowing what to do with them — adds another layer of stress. This guide is for you.

Is It Legal to Sell Inherited Diabetic Supplies?

In most cases, yes. The key question is how they were originally purchased:

• ✅ Purchased through private insurance or out of pocket → Sellable
• ❌ Purchased through Medicare or Medicaid → Cannot be sold

If you're not sure, check the paperwork or contact the insurance company that was billed. An EOB (Explanation of Benefits) will show the payer.

What If I Don't Know the Purchase History?

This is common in estate situations. If you genuinely don't know whether Medicare was involved, the safest approach is to check: was the person 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B? If yes, their CGM sensors and test strips were likely Medicare-covered and cannot be resold. Donate to a clinic instead.

If they were under 65 or had private insurance only, the supplies are likely sellable.

Estate Sales and Divorce

Supplies found during an estate sale or division of assets are treated the same way. If they qualify (private insurance, sealed, unexpired), you can sell them regardless of how they came into your possession.

Supplies That Can't Be Sold

Even if the purchase history is fine, some supplies won't qualify:

• Expired supplies (any brand, any type)
• Opened packages
• Insulin (we do not buy insulin of any kind)
• Needles that have been opened