Diabetic Recipes
My husband just switched jobs, which is always a headache when it comes to health insurance. If you are lucky enough to be allowed to start right away, with no waiting period, there's still that period of limbo when the old insurance has been cancelled (and man, they don't waste any time doing that) and when your new insurance is in the system.
Of course, Olivia needed insulin while we were in limbo. I went to CVS to pick it up and it was going to cost $335.99 for three bottles of insulin. Needless to say, we can't afford that.
I called her pediatrician to see if they had any insulin in the office - they didn't. They also didn't want to prescribe it for her since they don't know her diabetes history, which is understandable. I would have to call Joslin and get the on call doctor to call in one vial, something to tide us over until we were in the system. Even still, that was going to be $110. We don't have that money to spare right now. Like everyone else, our finances are tight these days.
I called the local emergency room to see if they could help out at all, but they don't dispense drugs from there. She suggested I call Wal-Mart to see if they were any cheaper, but they aren't.
I do have a friend in town who often has a vial to spare and I did call her, but she wasn't home. Thankfully, my mother came to the rescue and is putting it on her credit card. Although we do have to drive out to the pharmacy in my mother's town, an hour away, because CVS won't take credit card payments over the phone. Dumbest thing I've ever heard - you can do it online but not over the phone. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I honestly don't know what we would have done if my mother wasn't able to help us. Bounced a check, probably.
I sincerely hope our new President can do something about the ridiculousness of health insurance in this country. It's absolutely absurd to have to jump thru these hoops and we HAVE health insurance. I can't imagine what our lives would be like if we didn't. We'd be screwed. Absolutely, positively screwed.
Thank god we have enough test strips to last until we get into the stupid system. That's another $300+ a month.
I just went through the same thing! I just got married and changed from my parents' insurance to my husband's. Of course, it seems like I go to a doctor once a month, and the first several appointments came back with a charge. We had to talk with our local rep, the big reps in NJ, and send them a letter of credible coverage. All the while, money was getting taken out of my husband's paycheck for my insurance. You'd think they'd do that in the beginning . . .
I really hate insurance companies!
I know exactly what you're talking about. I have type one diabetes and my husband lost his job and insurance. I went to see about getting medicaid, but they won't give it to anyone who isn't on disability. In order to get on disabilty, i have to be dying; kidneys failing, heart, eyes, whatever,,that just doesn't seem right to me. And because we have been without insurance for more then 60 days, i will have to start over with pre-existing condition and wait a year by the time we do get it.. I too hope that Obama has something planned to make this different.
I was taking Byetta and getting samples from my doctor. Then he wasn't able to get any smaples. So he called in Rx and it was $485.00 because my drug card Humanna did not cover that drug as they put it. MY doctor jumped thru all their hoops so they waould pay for it for months, for them to only tell me nope they were not gonna pay for it. So my doctor took me off of it completely. Cause there is no way I can pay that amount out a month for one RX. So now my sugar is all over the place from 87 to 397. I hate that meds have to cost so much. Sad thing is I have 15 or 20 Rx to get a month and it seems like it is always a fight with the Drug card companyto get them to cover the crugs that actually help.
Hi i tollay understand where you are coming from. i'am a type 2 diabetic . i lost my job back on febuary 1,2008 . and i haven't been able to test ot take my medicine since then. i'am a 52 year old man. so i have no idea what my blood sugar count is since then. i have no income at all so i can't buy any supplies and i have no relatives who could help me either i'm on my own. the government has coverage for the elderly and now is in the process of getting coverage for the uninsured children . but me being middle age and not old enough for medicare ( 65 ) are meant to die . i wish i was 65 or a child again so i can get help for my diabetes . as everbody knows the economy is very bad here and i have gone out on several interviews but nobody has hired me yet .
Do you have a meter?? I have extra strips that I could send to you!!
I lost my job in August and have had no health insurance since. Insulin is $102/bottle and my dr did not have samples of Humalog to give me. I went online to Lilly who makes the insulin and found an application that the patient and dr complete and fax to them stating you cannot afford your meds and the dr fills in the prescription. They provide 4 bottles of insulin delivered to the dr at no charge. It takes 4 weeks to process so I have not received my insulin yet, but if putting this info out there I hope can help someone else in need of insulin. I am hoping our new President will take care of the health insurance gap for individuals with life threating diseases.
I am more fortunate than I probably deserve. Retired, pensioned, been with my HMO for years, Type II since I was 40. I get 90 days worth of regular and nph at a time, kept chilled at home unless in current use. More than willing to help out with a bottle or two unless I'm at the end of the 3 months. They do keep track of my use...
Hi! I am working in retail now while trying to get a better job with "real insurance". I pay $125.00 a month for the extremely limited benefits I recieve. Hardly any of my 13 ongoing prescriptions are covered. I'm holding onto this job for the "Cert. of Creditable Insurance Coverage" to present to my next employer so that I will not face the 1 year exclusion for pre-existing conditions(Type 1, depression, & asthma).
Meanwhile, my Dr. has been kind enough to give me 2 vials of insulin and my other Dr. gave me 2 mo. supply of Lexapro(samples). I hate to grovel for drugs, but if they have the samples they usually will help. One Dr. flat out refused my request for samples saying "those are for newly diagnosed patients only." I have asked my Drs. to change all prescriptions to the cheap $4 per month (Target, Wal-Mart specials) or other cheaper generic drugs. Some have no generic, like Lantus. In the past, the county health department also supplied me with emergency insulin. I hope this info might help others. Best wishes...Sue L.
There should be someone out there to help. Insulin is needed. My doctor sometimes has insulin that the reps give him. We do need universal health care in the United States and drop some of the non-needed pork barrels.
I had a similar problem; lost insurance. My solution: I switched from Humalog and Lantus to R and NPH, which Wal-Mart sells for $22/vial. They also have a meter that uses test strips that cost $44/100 strips/
Have you contacted your local/regional diabetes association (either the American Diabetes Association or your state's diabetes association)? They might have vouchers they could give to you, especially for insulin. Or, contact your area's Diabetes Support Group -- they might be able to refer you to other charitable organizations that could assist you.
On the subject about Universal Health Coverage ... most people don't understand the concept behind it. With universal health plans involving entire countries, there is only a set amount of money that is available per year for the whole population (whatever the government sets the budget for -- say $5 billion for the year). Once that money is gone, it's gone ... so that might mean you don't get any medications or medical assistance at all towards the end of the year. You will be depending on some pencil-pusher in Washington to decide whether or not you will be given your medication, or your testing supplies, or to get that your MRI for that knee that's been bothering you, or have your broken arm set -- the physician will have to get permission from someone crunching numbers to treat you. This is a huge country with a huge population, many of whom will be exempt from even contributing to the plan (not paying any money into the plan, but receiving care/medications anyway). This is not a a small country like Sweden or Norway, where most of the citizens pay into the plan, and where the population is small. And just think -- the biggest part of the budget will go for emergencies, and not just for emergencies caused by accidents, but also for the teen-aged gang members who are shooting each other up -- they will be the ones using up all the funds allotted for the year. I don't know about ya'll, but I'd rather continue to pay my $375.00 per month/$3,500 deductible/$25.00 per prescription medical insurance bill each month and be assured that I will get the medication/testing supplies/blood tests/and other medical assistance that I need than to pay $100 or $200 dollars each month into a health system where it will be decided by someone in another part of the country as to whether or not I'm worthy of that assistance!!!! I don't have cable/satellite/cell phone/high-speed internet because I can't afford those things and pay for my insurance as well, but at least my health needs are fully covered!!!
John McCain understands the concept behind universal health care plans (that's why he poo-poos them), Obama does not!!! Obama is very scary to me!!!!!
My Olivia is 7 and has had T1 for 4 years now. What kind of Insulin is your daughter on? If it is Humalog, we have tons and I am happy to ship you some if you need it. We are fortunate to really good insurance and they give us way too much. We always give our extras to people who need it.
My 15yo son is type1 diabetic also, been on the pump for about six years now. On a good day he goes from 40-400. At 22k per year I make too much for medicaid and don't have the option of insurance from my job. Our only alternative is to wait until he reaches blood sugar levels over 600 and he ends up in the hospital and then he can get some insulin. Paying $1300/month for a garage-turned-into-a-one bedroom apt in NY leaves no money to buy the $400/month insurance needed. I wouldn't hold my breath for the Obamanation to save us; he's going to ruin us.
Be careful what you wish for. A nationalized health insurance would very likely follow the same path as other nation's attempts. A shift toward a more bureaucratic approach to healthcare away from a medically centered one. Administrators may have more influence on your future health than a doctor would. If you think the situation is bad now, do you really want to see the Federal government run a hospital or clinic?
I'm sorry, the whole situation is awful. I have type 1 diabetes and have been very frustrated with insurance myself lately. It isn't bad enough that we have to deal with the disease itself but hassle with insurance companies too....i wish you luck and good fortune for the future.
I completely understand, I moved to Texas about a year ago and have not been able to find a decent job yet and my husband's job cost and arm and a leg for insurance. We don't qualify for medicaid so I was at a loss as to what to do about my medications, I take metformin and use the insulin pen. Well NovoNordisk has a patient assistance program so my doctor and I filled out the paperwork and now I get insulin delivered every three months at no cost to me. As far as testing supplies, which are also outrageous, it took me some searching but Abbott Laboratories has a program for that as well using the freestyle meter. Luckily I also qualified and get shipments every 3 mos with strips and lancets. Hope everything works out for you!
I understand this. My son and I both are diabetic. What I did was ask the doctor to prescribe an extra vial or two at a time. I have a couple of extras in case we drop and break one, or when there is a delay in insurance. The cost is the same, and it is better to be ahead than behind. Same goes for delays in going to the pharmacy, like a blizard here, or hurricane when I lived in Florida. We all need to take care of ourselves and not rely on everything going right all the time.
Freakin' Drug Companies!!!
Freakin National Health Care!!
WE are in the same boat here in the southwest. My daughter age 22 ID since age 5 is now living with us. She is now in the process of getting on my insurance. There is a waiting period of 3 months until she can get on. Thank goodness for that!!! Waiting in between is hard, having to put it all on our credit card.
It is not her fault. Compost happens, that is when the family has to step up and help.
Blessings to all of us who have to endure this silly catch 22 of survival. Hopefully we can band together somehow to share our stories.
It is hard for my daughter too, when you are 22 and used to being on your own and then staying with Mom it can be a bit tough. Our hearts are in the right place and supporting her until she can get back on her feet.
Thank you so much for this site to be able to express our feeling and REAL stories of how drug companies are rape-ing us!
If you are over 21 and under 65 with out insurance....your up against hard road of a nation that is one of the only nations in the WORLD that doesn not take care of this age group. Now.....if my daughter were to get pregnant or continue being so sick in the hospital....then she could get assistance. However she does not want to be pregnant and she does not want to be sick all the time....what is the reward for that??? How does our health care assist the well to stay well?
April, Mom of insulin dependent daughter