I've started a new insurance that has a very low limit on prescription drug payments (and on anything else). Any insights? Advice? Has anyone seen Lantus at an affordable price?

It looks like Costco and Walmart have cheaper prices on insulin, but it is Novolog, instead of Lantus.

Should I just get used to older and possibly inferior products when on a budget?

Any advice would be welcomed!

Tags: budget, insulin

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That is why I said, "usually". Clearly, if they are prescribed to treat a health problem then they should be covered differently than if they were an elective item.
Agreed. But unfortunately most won't make the distinction even if appealed by the Dr.

Technically, ED drugs, birth control and fertility drugs for that matter are all in the reproductive arena of medicine. And fertility drugs for women will NEVER be covered by insurance, yet they cover Viagra? Just a thought.
This is Juan's Mom, have you tried a prescription mail service, I use Liberty Medical and its very affordable, I spend about $50.00 for 3 months supply on my sons Insulin and he uses 2 bottles a month for his insulin pump
Thank you! This will help me compare prices!
Thank you, Juan's Mom!
I've checked out some prescription mail order services, chosen one (for most of my meds), and now need to get the doctors to rewrite prescriptions and fax them to the insurance company.
I think you and Rick gave similar advice, and it's great!!!
Thanks again,
Elaine
Novolog, as far as I know, is a fast acting insulin - not the same as Lantus, which is a long acting insulin that keeps your BGs at a constant level all day (to counter your liver's production of glycogen). Most diabetics need a long acting and a short acting insulin - long acting for your basal rate and short acting for meal and correction boluses. Costco, Walmart and Kmart all have much cheaper options as far as these go. You might also want to see if your insurance plan has a prescription by mail option where you can often get 3mos of supplies for a 1mo copay. Lastly, if it's the insulin that's causing the most trouble with the higher copay, try to get your Dr to also prescribe Metformin with your insulin. Metformin is typically a type2 drug used to enhance the body's sensitivity to insulin, inhibit your liver from producing so much glycogen and therefore reduce the amount of insulin you need to take daily. Kmart sells Metformin (obviously with a prescription) for $4 a bottle. I'm currently on 750mg a day (one pill in the mornings) and have noticed my daily totals of insulin go down slightly.

Good luck!!

My out of pocket cost for a 3 month supply of Insulin (Humalog) is $15.00, same for test strips. I think that very resonable. The cost for Pump supplies (insertion sets, reservoirs and CGM Sensors) however is through the roof...over $1000. The cost to produce these items can only be a fraction of the purcahse cost, someone, somewhere is raking the money in. Someone, somewhere who desparately needs these tools to better manage this horrid disease cannot afford them and has to go without.

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