Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jm on March 30, 2011 at 7:47pm

Not sure how close you live to Canada, but you can purchase Humalog for only about $25 a bottle, and the border guard let me bring back about 10 bottles last time(you dont have to tell them, in fact, i didnt tell them when i was coming back into the states, i told the guard what i was doing on the way over, when he asked me)..i do a lot of business in Detroit area, and when i need it, i would go across, go the local pharmacy and just pay cash for the Humalog...the Lantus, also didnt need a script and was a little cheaper not as much as the Humalog

Permalink Reply by Yolanda Gordon on March 31, 2011 at 6:47am

Jim I buy Humalog on line from Canada and for three vials I pay $108.00 I live in Oregon so a trip to Canada might be worth it! Online it says Lantus is $158 for the cartridges for the pen and Levemir again cartridges only $144 for the three. I can't find a vial of either for under $200. Can you tell me what area in Canada and what pharmacy you use? Do you know the price of testing strips for any of the meters? After 17 years as a type 1 I think I have almost all of them. Online they are still like $75-$100 for a box of 100.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!

Permalink Reply by Emilia Klapp on March 31, 2011 at 9:38am

Hello Yolanda,

I don't know if this can help you but you may want to read my post on how to get cheaper or free test strips at

http://thediabetesclub.com/free-diabetic-test-strip-and-meter-resou...

I also posted it in my TuDiabetes blog http://www.tudiabetes.org/profiles/blogs/free-diabetic-test-strip-and

I hope you can get them cheaper than you do now.

Have a great day,

Emilia Klapp, R.D.,B.S.
www.TheDiabetesClub.com

Permalink Reply by Marga on July 16, 2011 at 1:07pm

Hi Yolanda,

I'm a new type 1 and I totally relate to your frustrations. Here is some info that might be helpful. Humalog has a coupon offer for 5 prefilled pens, here is the link.

http://kwikpenvoucher.humalog.com/form.cfm?k=4
You’ll need a prescription and sometimes the pharmacy could give you a hard time but if you’re persistent you’ll get it as I did.

Lantus has a coupon too but it’s only $25.00 off and I know that’s not enough but here is the link anyway.
http://www.lantus.com/solostar-insulin-pen/solostar-coupon.aspx

I have a couple of extra meters that I got but I couldn’t use them because I run out of Bayer strips so I’m back to Accucheck. I can send you a free Bayer Contour USB with the cable so you could download your charts but unfortunately I don’t have extra strips. I also test about 10 times daily since my GL is on a roller coaster ride… 

Accucheck has a discount card for $15 per prescription so if you ask your doctor for 200 or 300 strips you might be able to pay just that. I’m not sure if it would work but it might be worth to ask. Each time I have an appt with my doctor I ask for free samples, they don’t give you mmuch but anything free helps me since I’m unemployed  I’m not sure if Wallmart is the least expensive, Canada is a great idea.

I hope this helps  Let me know if you need any extra meter, I’ll be glad to send it to you so you won’t have to pay for it.

Marga 

Permalink Reply by Yolanda Gordon on July 17, 2011 at 6:19pm

Thank you Marga for all your great information. Unfortunately since I don't have insurance I don't have a DR. or Endo. to be able to get a prescription from. Someday things may change and I will have insurance, but probably not in the near future. You are very generous to offer me blood glucose meters. Right now I think I own 5 different meters but I sincerely do appreciate your generosity. Thank you again Marga!

Permalink Reply by Mr. MOM on September 9, 2011 at 12:30pm

Yolanda, im in the same boat your in, being without ins or a DR. i have found that my insulin(humulin r) is around $25 at local Walmart's, and my meter up & up(target brand) is iirc $8.99 for the meter itself and the strips are iirc ~$37.00 per 100 at local Target, i have heard that you can find this meter and strips on amazon.com but have yet to check it out...
meter:
http://www.target.com/p/up-up-8482-Blood-Glucose-Meter-Monitoring-S...
strips:
http://www.target.com/p/up-up-8482-Blood-Glucose-Test-Strips-100-Co...

i hope this helps you
good luck and happy numbers!

Permalink Reply by Chrispy on November 28, 2011 at 8:05am

I recently lost my insurance and searched for a while for a convienent glucose meter with cheap test strips. I ended up getting the "Tru 2 Go" meter from walgreens, only $10 at walgreens and usually comes with a $10 mail in rebate. The meter is very convinent, snaps to the top of the test strip bottle and is very small. I found the strips at http://www.diabetessupplies4less.com for $24.98 per 100. I've been looking around for low prices on insulin, I loaded up on prescriptions before I lost my insurance but I'm going to need more soon. The lowest prices I've found so far are at www.northwestpharmacy.com I'm on Lantus and Novolog. Novolog is 44.99/vial and Lantus is 93.99/vial. I use pens now but I'll be switching to vials and syringes again, vials are cheaper than cartridges and syringes are cheaper than pen needles. Hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Yolanda Gordon on November 28, 2011 at 8:45am

Thank you Chrispy! I have the True 2 Go meter, but the test strips are super spendy. I will check out the website for the supplies. I also use Northwest Pharmacy on line. I buy Humalog vials from them. But, if the Novolog is more affordable I don't have a problem switching they both do the same thing. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post.

Happy Holidays!!

Permalink Reply by earthling on January 28, 2012 at 11:56am

Hi Yolanda. I just joined this site and group - I've been without insurance most of my 43 years of diabetes (type 1). A year ago I qualified for Medicaid, so am getting supplies free (Amazing!!! We should ALL have this!!!) But I am familiar with the problem.

Test strips are always a challenge $-wise. I found the best deals on sites like Amazon and Ebay - People selling strips they don't need at a huge discount sometimes. Just search for your meter type, or get a meter(s) of the type(s) for which you see the most strips offered on these sites.I was getting 100 strips for under $25 this way for years. I live near Canada and went there for insulin, as others here suggest. Best price there was at the grocery store (Overwaitea?) pharmacy.

If your hands are coordinated, you can mimic an insulin pen with a syringe - Just fill it, carry it capped in a toothbrush holder in your purse and push the plunger x # of units for doses. I kept the basal insulin the same way but don't forget to clearly mark that syringe so as not to mix them up! Syringes can be found very cheaply - 100 for $13 online. Reusing the needle never caused me any problem in the 25 years I used this technique. Now I am on a pump. Better for bg control, but a lot more expensive.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck and hang in there!

-Linda

Permalink Reply by Mocha on June 8, 2012 at 10:56pm

Hi! I read your post and was curious; does Medicaid pay for your pump and supplies? If so, what state are you in? I am on a pump, and am needing assistance pronto!

Permalink Reply by earthling on June 9, 2012 at 9:43am

Hello Mocha. Sorry to hear about your job loss. I am in Idaho; not the worst for Medicaid coverage and not the best, I am told. They cut a lot of benefits recently, but so far my pump and supplies continue to be covered. They are paying for my Animas Ping in 10 monthly installments. Applying takes forever and is grueling. But if you can get on, do - truly amazing to be able to go to the doc/pharmacy anytime for free!

Permalink Reply by Mocha on June 8, 2012 at 11:04pm

Hi Ms. Linda,
I was just let go from my job, and am in a panic because, my insurance went with it. Just last week I contacted my doctor and let the office know what was going on. They had me come in and speak with a nurse that finds financial aid. This was helpful, as I am on an Omnipod pump system. I am due to call her back this week to see what help they found. I will let the forum know what assistance is available. But in the meantime, I went to the Lilly website for Humalog, and filled out their medical assistance program form. They will give you up to a year's worth of insulin free of charge if you meet their qualifications. Only thing is, you must have a doctor, because they will ship the supplies to the doc's office, not your home, and a doctor has to fill out their portion. Not sure what state you are in, but I was thinking, even if you had to go to a county/state medical center, perhaps you could ask them if they'd mind filling out the paperwork.
My best suggestion is to go straight to the manufacturer and see if they have a financial assistance program you can enroll in. Hope this helps!

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page