TuDiabetes - A Community for People Touched by Diabetes

Mike

Happy To Be Uninsured

I was standing in what appeared to be a non-moving pharmacy line. The elderly gentleman picking up his medications was confused about the prices being charged, and demanded an explanation. "I"ve been taking these same pills for 10 years," he said. "Why does it suddenly cost more?"

I hate this.

To make matters worse, the lady in front of me is talking on her cell phone. The guy in front of her is getting visibly grumpy. The pharmacy employee is getting upset. And right then, after waiting in this long and stagnant line for fifteen minutes, I had every excuse to be grumpy too.

I've blogged a lot here on TuDiabetes and written in the forums about the struggles I have had recently living as an uninsured diabetic. For the past 6 months I was insured, but diabetes was considered a pre-existing condition and wasn't covered.

And since May 1st I have had insurance to help me pay for all of my supplies.

All I want is a new vial of insulin, I thought to myself. Then I started to think about last spring. I remembered how a trip to the pharmacy was going to break the bank. I remembered back to April when I literally had to choose to pay my car payment of buy insulin (I picked the wrong one, btw). I remember trying to convince myself that I could put diabetes on hold for a month or two while I took care of some other financial responsibilities.

Eventually I made it to the front of the pharmacy line. I smiled when the pharmacist told me that the vial of insulin that I was paying over $100 for a few months ago would only cost me the $10 co-payment. Things aren't so bad, I thought. Now if only there was something we could do about those pharmacy lines.

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Sugabetic Comment by Sugabetic on August 31, 2009 at 11:04am
I know what you mean. While I was insured under a different policy at one time, they had a $2500 deductible for medical and pharmacy combined. I had to pay out of pocket for 11 months for my insulin, lab work, doctor visits, everything. Insulin was $339 for 3 month supply, not to mention the strips. Everything was covered after my surgery that December... Only had 1 month out of 12 that something was actually covered. Everything else was mine to pay 100% out of pocket. Now, under my hubby's policy, a 3 month supply is $15. It's amazing...
Jim Huck Comment by Jim Huck on June 26, 2009 at 9:47am
I was uninsured for a while. I had never paid full price for insulin before. When I got to the cash register and was told that 1 bottle was over $100, I was tempted to grab the box and run out the door yelling, "You'll never get me!!!"

If you get annoying people in line, just start talking to yourself really loud, "FIRST DIABETES, NOW I HAVE SWINE FLU!!!" That usually quiets people down and gets them moving.
John Smith Comment by John Smith on June 26, 2009 at 9:24am
My insurance plan sucks! Though it covered my insulin pump after a hefty co-pay, I pay $40/Humalog.
Suzanne Comment by Suzanne on June 25, 2009 at 8:02pm
See if your insurance company does mail order. Lots of them contract with companies that do this and you would get 3 months at a time that way. The down side is that some folks have issues with getting everything set up and there can be issues with changing stuff if you have an rx change.

I bet it felt pretty darn good paying a $10 copayment though! You have a better rx plan than me, I pay $30 for insulin :)
Mike Comment by Mike on June 25, 2009 at 6:54pm
Hahaha...yeah, kinda. But I guess the overall point was that I'm glad that I know how lucky I am because of what I've gone through.
John Smith Comment by John Smith on June 25, 2009 at 9:32am
So...shouldn't your title be "Happy to be insured"?

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