Oh, have I been there!! It’s terrible and frightening and nerve wracking, isn’t it?
Some tips that I have used to help me out:
Call your doc for samples. Get as many as they will give you. And don’t be shy about it either. The samples are there to be used. I ask for Toujeo and Humalog pens EVERY TIME I go in, then I keep those as my back up while I get my normal script filled, so I always have a stash on hand. (Just in case… y’know)
Look into prescription assistance plans through the manufacturer. I got cards for my Humalog and Toujeo, each. They ensure that you don’t pay more than $25 or sometimes $75 for each prescription. You can ask your doctor for these, too, or you can go through the manufacturer. It’s free; all you have to do is register the card with the company and then give it to the pharmacist when you get the script filled. NOT when you go to pay, though, cause that causes confusion and insurance company problems… ask me how I know!
Talk to your insulin pump rep about ways to deal with the cost of supplies. I recently had a conversation with my Dexcom rep about this and she was VERY helpful and knowledgeable. They know things the average healthcare pro doesn’t.
Another option you could consider is a Care Credit card. It’s a credit card to be used only for healthcare items. My mother has one that she has used during two rounds of breast cancer and the subsequent aftercare, prosthetics and doctors visits. It has saved her butt more than a few times. Not sure if that’s an option for you, but it can’t hurt to look!
I had a similar experience with this. I turned 26 last year and was no longer eligible to stay on my parents AMAZING health insurance, so I just went with what my employer offered. It’s a TERRIBLE plan for someone with a chronic condition. Super high deductible, bad coverage, the list of “approved” medications that they want me to be on is very restrictive (it didn’t include either of the types of insulin I take, so they refused to cover that medication and tried to force me onto a different “approved” medication)… I could go on. Either way, through working with my doctor and using those prescription assistance cards, I was able to strong arm the insurance company into paying for the majority of the cost of my supplies. But it took months to iron out the kinks. Some months they would cover stuff, some months they wouldn’t. Some copays were $400+, some were $15. Now, I pay $15 for my Toujeo and $75 for my Humalog. Some months I had to choose between groceries and insulin… Thank goodness for my garden, because I wouldn’t have been able to eat otherwise!
I know it’s hard, but have patience, ask for help, take help where it’s given and DON’T PANIC. This, too, shall pass. You will get through this. If nothing else, you’ve got sympathetic people here who support you and will listen to your problems.
Much love,
Alex