I’ve been in Humalog and Lantus for two years now. Financially I couldn’t afford either one, so signed up for Patient Assistant through my clinic. THEN we moved to a different state and a new system of docs. Now my patient assistance isn’t going to cover my humalog. I can deal with it, if they come up with an alternative. But wanting to be proactive with my health, I want to know what choices there are for these, in a pen preferably, that doesn’t cost $1000 a month? Ideas?
Not excited to use a syringe but if I have to I have to. I use a sliding/ratio of !:10 for meals and then lantus at night. Using about 12 - 18 units a day of humalog on a high average. Help please, I feel as if my health and my life are being sold out from under me.
Given what you say, it seems unlikely you’ll find insurance welcoming a different bolus if they’ve already rejected Novolog and Humalog, but there is an inhalable called Afrezza, and another injected bolus insulin called Apidra that is available in a standard pen. Maybe see if you can get some samples and go from there.
Doesn’t your health insurance cover any long- or short-acting insulins?
If your insurance doesn’t cover humalog I’d be willing to bet virtually anything that it covers novolog instead. It’s pretty standard that most plans cover either one or the other. By any measurable metric they’re the same exact thing but I prefer novolog… that may just be psychological though. Apidra is around too and is also good stuff but more people seem to struggle with insurance coverage for it than humalog/ novolog. At least it seems that way to me.
There are three main injected modern insulin analogs, Humalog, Novolog and Apridra. Afrezza is also an option but very unlikely to be part of a patient assistance program. There are quite a few links for patient assistance in our resources section. In a worst case you may be offered Regular insulin which is not preferable but in some states administered patient assistance programs are really, really bad.
Patient assistance is a pretty wide term, so it is hard for anyone to make specific suggestions for you. Probably the best thing to is simply ask them.
I’ve had Patient Assistance for two years now, they paid for both Lantus
and Humalog. A mistaken answer on the renewal form by my husband and the
new PA person ran with it. Meaning, she said I couldn’t qualify any
longer, because my dh has insurance…I have medical but doesn’t cover
prescriptions…SO. CDE recommended Apidra so we are waiting to hear if
doc will approve that med. I could very well become a fighting made
prescription advocate for people and myself, because I don’t have time nor
patience to wait on stupid people. The negative part of me, is saying this
woman will screw all my Pat. ■■■’t meds up and then I’m done. But for
today, I’ll stay calm and run with it.