Medicare Glucose Monitor Improper Payment Rate Nearly Doubled to 25.2 Percent in 2024, Projected Cost Rises to 278.5 Million Dollars

The improper payment rate for Medicare glucose monitors reached 25.2 percent in 2024, with projected overpayments of 278.5 million dollars, according to the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing supplemental data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. That compares with a 13.5 percent error rate and 103.2 million dollars in projected improper payments in 2023, representing roughly a doubling of both the rate and the dollar amount in a single year. CMS highlighted the figures in its August 6, 2026 Medicare Learning Network Connects newsletter. Missing documentation was the dominant cause. Of all improper payments for glucose monitors, 67.6 percent were attributed to suppliers providing no documentation at all, 26.6 percent to insufficient documentation, and 5.8 percent to other errors. Suppliers are required to keep complete records in the patient's medical record and to make them available to contractors on request. For continuous glucose monitors specifically, the treating practitioner must conduct an in-person or telehealth visit to evaluate diabetes control within six months before the initial prescription, and then follow-up visits every six months to document adherence. Medicare covers both standard home blood glucose monitors and continuous glucose monitors under its durable medical equipment benefit. A separate OIG report from 2025 found that Medicare payments for continuous glucose monitors and related supplies exceeded supplier costs and retail market prices, suggesting additional room to reduce what the program pays. The sharp rise in the improper payment rate signals that compliance in this product category remains an active focus for CMS contractors.