Can you check your blood sugar without pricking your finger?

Reviewed by the JForH team · 2026-10-30

Yes. A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) worn on your arm replaces most daily finger pricks. In the US, Dexcom Stelo and Abbott Lingo are sold without a prescription to adults 18 and older who don't use insulin. Prescription CGMs such as Dexcom G7 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus add low-glucose alarms, and Medicare may pay if you take insulin or have a history of low blood sugar. Every CGM still uses a tiny filament under the skin, so keep your meter as a backup.

Is there a diabetes machine without pricking your finger?

Yes. It's called a continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, and it takes the place of most daily finger pricks.

A CGM is a small sensor about the size of a coin. You wear it on the back of your upper arm or on your belly. It checks the sugar in the fluid just under your skin every few minutes and sends the number to your phone or a reader.

No prick doesn't mean no needle at all. When you put a sensor on, a small applicator places a thin, flexible filament just under the skin. Most people say it feels like a quick pinch. The filament stays in for the life of the sensor, up to 10 to 15 days depending on the model. Then you peel it off and put on a new one.

In the US there are two kinds. Over-the-counter (OTC) CGMs you can buy without a prescription. Prescription CGMs are ordered by your doctor. They work in a similar way, but they're cleared for different people and have different safety alarms.

What is the best diabetes monitor?

There isn't one best monitor for everyone. The right one depends on whether you take insulin, what your insurance covers and what you want to learn from it.

Here is what each maker or retailer states as of October 2026. We don't rank the devices. Prices change often, and what you pay with insurance can be very different from these numbers.

So if you pay cash, Stelo is $89 a month for two sensors. Two Libre 3 Plus sensors average about $240 at the pharmacy without insurance, and your pharmacy may charge more or less. If your insurance covers a prescription CGM, it may cost you less than an OTC one.

Do I need a prescription for a CGM?

Not if you're 18 or older and don't use insulin. Then you can buy one over the counter.

The FDA cleared the first OTC CGM, Dexcom Stelo, in March 2024. The FDA said it's for adults 18 and older who don't use insulin. That includes people with diabetes who take pills, and people without diabetes who want to see how food and exercise affect their glucose. It's not for people with problematic low blood sugar, because it isn't designed to warn you of that danger.

Abbott's Lingo is sold online and in stores. Abbott says it's for users 18 and older not on insulin and isn't meant to diagnose any disease, including diabetes. Abbott also got FDA clearance for Libre Rio, an OTC CGM for adults with type 2 diabetes who don't use insulin. When we wrote this, we couldn't find it for sale in the US.

An OTC CGM is good for spotting patterns. You might find that your usual bowl of cereal with a banana sends you much higher than two eggs and a slice of toast. Or that a short walk after dinner flattens your evening curve. If you take insulin, though, an OTC CGM is not a stand-in for a prescription one.

How do I get a continuous glucose monitor?

For an OTC sensor, you order it online or pick it up in a store. For a prescription CGM, ask the doctor who looks after your diabetes to order one for you.

Prescription CGMs include the Dexcom G7, the Dexcom G7 15 Day and the FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus. They're cleared for people with diabetes, including people who use insulin. The big difference from OTC models is the alarms. They can warn you, loudly if you choose, when your glucose is going too low or too high. Some can also connect to insulin pumps.

Your doctor may bring it up first. The American Diabetes Association's 2026 Standards of Care describe three groups of devices: real-time CGM, OTC CGM and professional CGM. The 2026 update encourages doctors to consider diabetes technology soon after diagnosis. It also widens CGM advice for people with type 2 diabetes, including those on basal insulin and those on non-insulin medicines that can cause low blood sugar.

Does Medicare pay for a CGM?

Often, yes, if you take insulin or have had trouble with low blood sugar. Medicare Part B may cover a CGM and its sensors when all of these are true:

• You have diabetes.
• Your doctor or other provider orders it after seeing you.
• You take insulin, or you have a history of problems with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
• You or a caregiver have had enough training to use it as directed.

After you meet the Part B deductible, you usually pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount if your supplier accepts assignment. The detailed rules are in the Medicare local coverage policy for glucose monitors (LCD L33822).

Medicare Advantage plans and private insurers can set their own rules, so call the number on your card and ask. OTC CGMs are bought without a prescription and you usually pay for them yourself.

Do I still have to prick my finger with a CGM?

Once in a while. None of the CGMs in the table need finger-stick calibration, but keep your meter in the drawer as a backup. Reach for it when:

• How you feel doesn't match the number on the screen. Dexcom's Stelo page says you may need a blood glucose meter in that case.
• The sensor is warming up, has just fallen off or shows no reading.
• You're about to treat a low or make a medicine decision and the reading looks wrong.

The ADA's 2026 Standards say people who use a CGM should also have access to a blood glucose meter.

How accurate is a CGM?

The newer sensors read within about 8% of a lab blood test on average, going by the makers' own studies. That gap is called MARD. Lower is better. We only list figures published by the maker or in peer-reviewed studies:

• Dexcom G7 15 Day: overall MARD of 8.0% in a study of 130 adults, reported by Dexcom and published in Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics.
• FreeStyle Libre 3: Abbott reports an overall MARD of about 7.8% to 7.9% from its pivotal study. We could not verify a separate published figure for Libre 3 Plus.
• Stelo: the FDA said its study showed performance similar to other integrated CGMs.

These numbers come from different studies with different people. A small gap between brands won't tell you which one reads best on your body. Any CGM can read off on the first day, when you lie on it in your sleep, or when your sugar is changing fast.

Can I pay for a CGM with my HSA or FSA?

Yes for Stelo and Lingo. Dexcom lists Stelo as HSA/FSA eligible, and Abbott lists Lingo as HSA/FSA eligible. Prescription CGMs are medical devices and are generally eligible too, but check with your plan administrator before you buy.

Should I get an over-the-counter or a prescription CGM?

If you take insulin or a pill that can cause lows, a prescription CGM with alarms is usually the safer choice. If you mostly want to see how meals and walks affect you, an OTC one used for a few weeks at a time may be enough. Talk these questions over with your doctor:

• Do you take insulin or a sulfonylurea, such as glipizide or glimepiride? Both can cause lows.
• Have you had a low where someone else had to help you? OTC CGMs aren't designed for you.
• Do you have Medicare or other insurance? If you qualify, a prescription CGM may cost you less than an OTC one.
• Will you share your numbers with your care team? Ask which app your doctor's office can read.

Does a CGM hurt, and what can go wrong?

Most people feel a quick pinch when the sensor goes on and very little after that. A few things are worth knowing:

• Skin irritation, minor pain and, rarely, infection at the sensor site were reported in the FDA's review of Stelo. Switch sites each time and keep the skin clean.
• Some sensors quit early. Dexcom reports that about 1 in 5 Stelo sensors may not last the full 15 days. Makers often replace failed sensors, so contact them.
• Don't change your diabetes medicines based on a CGM reading without talking to your care team first. Dexcom's Stelo labeling says the same.

Find out if a CGM makes sense for you (free check)

Last updated: 2026-10-30. Educational information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before changing your treatment.