Im rather amused with this thread.
There is a little known retailer, walmart
Selling insulin for $25 per vial.
Granted, its not the greatest and newest,
But it will work.
I use it
1 Like
Welcome back, @Holding_on—haven’t seen you for a while!
Actually Walmart N/R is pretty well known around here—there’s quite a bit of discussion about it earlier in this thread.
But I bet you aren’t using NPH by choice…the rest of the developed world gets ALL first class insulin for around the same price as walmart $25, some less and even some are free.
2 Likes
Yes…it is by choice…it is what
I can afford !
Just because Rolls-Royce makes
Cars, should everyone have one,
No matter the cost ?
Yes…I would like to have the best
Of everything, but i cant afford it.
Thinking everyone should have
Everything, sounds like a different
Type of system that we currently
Have.
Yes…medication and healthcare is
Expensive…i know…I had to drop
My Blue Cross Blue Shield at $700
A month, that had a $6500 deductable…of which medication was deductable.
To a med-a-share, Christian Healthcare Ministries…which WILL
Cover pre-existing conditions at
Day one (but a cap). The gold
With brothers keeper (unlimited
Coverage) with all incidents under
$500 not covered. I use the lilly
Program to get my basaglar at
A discount…my vial insulin at
Walmart…pen needles $11 a box
Delivered from diathrive, my pills
I get some from rxoutreach and
Search needy meds for other discount or coupons…ive also
Used goodrx and blink.
Labs and some procedure’s, i check
With mdsave to try to find the
Cheapest in area…and at times
Use walk in labs (via website. Includes both quest and labcorp).
Some may not want to do all of
This, or understand…but, its
Your body and your money…you
Need to learn about your conditions so you can better take
Care of yourself and make better
Decisions.
So using the poor car analogy we should all just settle for a rusted out Ford Pinto with 500,000 miles that breaks down constantly simply because that’s an affordable option for some people?
I understand holding yourself accountable and trying to make the best of what you have, but there is no denying that the prices are out of control and that something needs to be done. Everyone within this community has very different needs and just because something works for one person does not mean that it will work for everyone.
4 Likes
Depends if the same markup structure was being placed on Rolls-Royce as is put on insulin. A Rolls-Royce in the US is about $550,000 and based on the insulin markup in US vs other countries, that would put the Rolls-Royce at about $55,000 in Canada in which case I would at least consider buying a Rolls-Royce in Canada and importing it back into the US.
Everyone has different needs and desires. Age is also a factor as after age 65 Medicare kicks in with a totally different set of rules. If you live fairly near the Canadian or Mexican border, you can go into those countries and buy the same insulin from the same factory at 90% less than in the US. If not you can always order by mail and the savings is not quite so great, but either way you can self pay and then take a very low drug coverage insurance plan unless you take other expensive medications at the same time.
Everyone is different and needs to think inside as well as outside the box for their best financial health coverage outcome.
3 Likes
Well…we are a capitalism economy…we start to walk a fine
Line when we say a company has
Too much mark up…who will decide ?
Understand research and bringing
New drugs to market is a expensive
Process… particular in the united
States…
Yes…some medicine is cheaper across the border…but the operating cost there is so much
Lower.
Do i think some meds are over priced, yes…some new diabetic
Drugs almost $2000 a month.
Look at cancer drugs…even one
That will take care of hep c.
But…these companys also have
A little if any plan if people need,
But can afford…all will agree that
Is a good plan…but someone has
To pay for it.
I am somewhat tired of people
Hollering…i can afford my insulin
At $200 to $300 a vial…
First…have you shopped around ?
If you cant do it, then you might
Have to look at the older insulins.
Granted, not use, not as easy, takes
More management…but they work…
Because they were the only thing we had.
Today…we want diabetes to be easy…just take 1 pill…1 shot a day
Or a week…we dont even need to
Stick our fingers several times
A day, we wear a little box that does
It…we have minimized diabetes…
We forget how bad this disease is.
Maybe we need these difficult ways
To remind us how bad this disease
Is.
I don’t know who’s KoolAid you are drinking but operating costs in all the countries that sell insulin from the same factories do not have 10% of the operating costs of the US. I use insulin and other diabetic related equipment developed and sold in other countries and some not even available in the US at a fraction of what these same items do or would cost when available in US.
I don’t have the exact numbers but as a Global manufacturer, I have a pretty good idea of R&D and operating costs of factories around the world.
2 Likes
Then pray tell…whats the problem ???
As far as koolaid…dont drink…remember the sugar issue ??
You may as well drink the kool aid and suffer the consequences. There is plenty to remind us how bad this disease is. Higher incidence of cardiovascular disease, amputations, lost eye sight, shorter lifespan, acute hypoglycemia and severe ketoacidosis requiring medical attention or causing death.
The real benefit of these ‘fancy insulins’ CGMs, pumps, improved healthcare and the concurrent improved control are minimizing some of these terrible outcomes.
Anyone can go back to the R/NPH ‘stone age’, or even further back before finger sticks and human insulin. But why? If there are better treatments available we should all have access. Outrageous and unjustified modern insulin prices are depriving us of quality of life in the short term, and increasing the likelihood we’ll suffer one of the terrible long term complications.
I’m frankly offended you think we want this just for conveniences sake.
1 Like
Government policies and Lobbyists. No need to get into a political discussion here but there are many people on this board working very hard to challenge and change the policies of our broken drug pricing system.
If you go through the various threads on this board, on this subject you will not only see the various heroic efforts being put into changing our system by our fellow members but will also see that State by State corrective action is both in the works, and although slow we are starting to see some benefits of insulin prices starting to come down.
Let’s support those that are dedicating their substantial time and efforts toward solving this problem. Look and help working toward solution(s), not blame or lack of understanding.
2 Likes
Ive read about some of the efforts…in some instances…trying
To bring down name brand products…i believe in Colorado, they are pushing to have “insulin”
Down to $100 a vial…but folks,
Its already at $25 at walmart !!
Sorry.
If they really want to do something,
Work on the cost of insurance.
For many…these “efforts” only
Help those with insurance. Many
Do not attack “cash” customers.
You can never legislate morality.
Oh…in case your wondering…i am
A democrat.
As an answer to skyrocketing insulin prices in the United States, biohackers are creating a microbrewery for insulin. They are working on simpler, newer, and cost-effective ways to make insulin.
Check out the link for detailed info https://www.myhealthyclick.com/open-insulin-project-biohackers-work-on-cost-effective-ways-to-make-insulin/
2 Likes
I don’t think there are any of us here who expect diabetes management to be easy. Anyone who has spent time genuinely trying for good outcomes quickly realizes the magnitude of the challenge diabetes is to their overall health and quality of life.
This sobering realization often leads many people to cope using denial or simply give up in a fatalistic acceptance. Psychological and emotional burnout stalks our community.
We are not in search of easy, although that would be nice. Instead we realistically look for “better.” I lived with NPH and Regular insulin for three years back in the '80’s and while one can survive using those formulations, it’s a much riskier and worse treatment than with the modern insulin analogs. I would not wish that on anyone.
1 Like
‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’‘’
I’m trying to get my head around, why you think this way. I looked at you past posts. It seems you were on Lantus last year with a $6,500 deductible. You are unable to use it this year?
I’m from Australia. I get free healthcare from my doctor, hospital and outpatient care. The same as every australian is entitled to. I also choose to have private hospital cover, my deductible is $500.
I can’t get my head around why you think the way that you do. . I use a biologic @ $35,000 a year, every 3 months I pay $39, a pensioner or unemployed person/student, would pay $6. After we reach our safety net, we would all get it for free.
I would pay the same amount for NPH, as all the other basal insulins. Depending on my circumstances, this would be, $39/$6/free. for a 5 pen pack or 5 x 3ml for Lantus and the others
,
http://www.epharmacy.com.au/product.asp?id=58829&pname=Lantus+Solostar+100iu%2Fmlx5+
cut it any way you like, USA doesn’t have 1st world care for a lot of people
3 Likes
According to one source, 44 million Americans have no health insurance and another 38 million are underinsured. That means that nearly 1/3 of the richest nation in the world are forced to go without adequate access to health care.
Many of us are painfully aware of this huge social injustice. As someone who needs insulin to survive, I can only imagine the fear and frustration felt by people with diabetes that our society chooses to provide inadequate health care.
3 Likes
Hello jack. I enjoy the Aussies, had one
In high school. Im in the middle of
Wheat harvest, and as such know
You are in the middle of winter, as such.
I will respond in full later tonight, when
I finish for the day. I believe that he
In the states we have the latest, most
Advanced care in the world…we also
Have the most expensive care in the
World !!
Hello again
Im not sure if im doing this right, i
Have to say i dont care for the software used for this forum.
First…for everyone patting themselves on the back on colorado.
Note…the law limited the co-pay
To $100…note, that means insurance.
What was done to help the least,
Those who have no drug coverage…
Or those with bronze programs,
Who must pay large deductable before drug coverage kicks in.
Also…many insulin co have copay
Programs. When i had commercial
Insurance, lantus has a ZERO copay
Card.
Take a look at needy meds.
The article didnt say if glp inhib
Or other simular would be covered
By the $100 rule…since it is not
Insulin.
After looking at the copay programs
Available…i think questions need
To be asked.
Is the $100 cap cheaper than current
Copay programs ?
Due to less income, will programs
Be cut with those without insurance
Or high deductible plans, whos
Drug coverage does not kick
In untill deductable met ?
For those pulling their hair out
Let me give you some insight
On some of these things…first, i am
An educated farmboy. Had classes
In stats, accounting, and learned
A little about underwriting and acturay stuff from working on a
Project.
A few years ago, a group of us set
Out to form a health insurance group
For rural folks in our state…we ended
Up talking to insurance companys,
Insurance department, benefit management groups…etc. our problem was a small law that prevented froming an assn for
The sole purpose of insurance.
This past year, a farm group pushed
Thru a plan …that is not insurance,
Will not be regulated by anyone,
Does not have its books looked
At by the insurance commission…
And will rate and rank you, and
Limited if any pre-existing conditions
Coverage…or may not even write
You a policy…and rewriting each
Year…(oh by the way, pregnancy
Is considered pre-existing by them
And not covered.)
The legislature passed it, saying
Something had to be done…
There were no alternative
Or…thats what the farm group
Said.
I refer you to the dave Ramsey
Website… where you could have
Already get such insurance…it is
Ranked …and underwriting…but
All companys are approved by
Insurance office.
The question is…was this needed ?
When programs were available…
I contend no…the 1 year programs
Were already available…and so
Were med-a-share.
The farm group wanted justification
To sell their product, which will
Make them money…and make them
Look like they did something.
Yep.
Lawful channels of voting and protest are not changing things.
I stand behind anyone who breaks the law acquiring insulin. Illegal distributors too as long as they are doing the right thing with a good product.
I pay over $300 a vial, wish I never leaned why. It was better when I thought it was just a difficult expensive process and the price reflected that.
1 Like