I have just contracted for my 2024 Part D drug plan. I am MDI so my insulin is under Part D. Monthly plan cost $27.90. $35/month for my Humalog insulin, Statin $0, Zetia just under $100/year. Cost is about the same using a brick and mortar pharmacy or mail order pharmacy. Total cost $852 for the year includes plan, all drugs, copays and deductible which is $545 for 2024. I will not enter the donut hole so $852 will be my total cost. Humalog is not on my existing Part D formulary so if I stay with my current plan the total cost for these same items would be $8,031.63, almost 9 1/2 times the cost of switching to a new plan. IT PAYS TO SHOP!!!
You are right about the shopping part. Some plans that initially look good turn out to be bad after adding everything you really need.
Thanks,
Jane
Thank you, Terry.
Yes, we have to be very vigilant and look at all components. I have some medications that I don’t have to fill as often so I certainly don’t want them to make me choose a plan with a higher premium if I am able to use a local pharmacy for less cost when I need it. Anyway I will continue my search. My husband, who does not have diabetes, but does have asthma, has a whole set of other issues we have to address.
Jane
Did anyone who got their 90 day Optum Rx mail order insulin check how the insulin was transported? Were they packed with ice or some kind of temperature maintained packaging? Insulin if kept out of the 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C) range, it usually remains usable for 28days on average. So 90 days supplies are at risk basically. When I called Optum they could not explain anything much on the phone, therefore i prefer to go to the pharmacy every month in person and after purchase put the insulin into a temperature controlled bag to carry it home. The insulin is stored in the refrigerator at the pharmacies also. Any feedback about the Optum mailed insulin temperature related part?
I placed my order for insulin and a couple other maintenance medications with OptumRX on Tuesday January 2nd. As usual I had to call in the order because their web site is broken. Again. The phone rep asked if I’d like to schedule the Lantus to automatically ship when it would be eligible to refill. I politely declined, the rep overrode the computer, completed the order and read me OptumRx’s terms and conditions. I read the rep my terms and conditions. The order shipped from Florida on the 3rd via FedEx Priority Overnight which is a next day by 10:30am service. It arrived this morning, Thursday the 4th, during breakfast.
OptumRx ships insulin in a cardboard box containing foam wrapped in a plastic air barrier surrounding an ice pack or two separated from the insulin by a piece of corrugated cardboard. Under the insulin boxes is cardboard and another ice pack. Its effective.
For all the things OptumRx has done wrong I have never doubted their ability to ship insulin. Same with Caremark.
Thanks. Ice packs might be able to help, but still there is no way of monitoring the actual temperature of Insulin. I will be continuing with purchasing it from pharmacy in person and transporting it to home with temperature controlled cooling bag, safest way for me. I do the same when I travel. If anyone wants to know more about special cooling bag that will keep the temperature exactly between 2-8 C range for 10hrs or so, and if you want a bluetooth high range(100m) temperature sensor, and to swap your ice packs having extra dry ice solutions, I have the details. Travels are a breeze with insulin when you know how to handle them for long periods (Yes i know you can keep insulin up to 28 days in room temperature, but thats it, after that the potency decreases, and if the outside air temperature is 40C, it is not room temperature)