Lower-cost insulin options?

[Seansmom]

My 13yo son Sean was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes nine months ago.  We are self-employed and have only basic major medical coverage, so we have to buy all insulin and supplies such as syringes and test strips.  Our income is too high to qualify us for any of the discount programs we have seen; but we are not rich by any stretch, and the expenses of diabetes treatment have significantly affected us.

We currently spend between $200-300/month on Novolog, Lantus, test strips, and syringes, most of which we buy at Sam's Club.  I expect this cost to increase soon, as Sean appears to be getting out of his honeymoon period and his insulin needs are increasing.

Are there less expensive alternatives?  I would be grateful for anyone's experience in this area.  Thank you!

[Dewnutt1963]

being a type one with no insurance is a real pain in the a$$. Here is what I have been doing since I was diagnosed more than two and a half decades ago.. best I can, and I am paying the price for the times that I have not been able to see the Dr. I am paying with heart disease, severe neuropothy, kidney failure, my eyes are failing, the list goes on and on..

no one ever told me that it would be a fair fight, ya just have to make due with what you can scratch out for your self. or just give up and die.  

[DennisIDDM]

Onlyinsulin option is? Going back to using the older insulins ( R & NPH) and that would Not be a good thing, they caused alot of Hypo's and very difficult to use.. As for the Test stips ? You can try using a Generic brand ( Wal Greens, Wal mart's, etc.) their stips are about 40% Less, but ck. for accuracy while you still have your currentmeter and 10-20 strips left..

Your stuck between being to " wealthy and Not poor enough", been there , done that myself for several yrs.. and thus your stuck.. that is unless you want to resort to extreme meaures.. Turn your Son over to the State.., Get a Divorce and the Mother Doesn't work but get Public Aid/Welfare and Medicade ( while the former husband gives them cash )

It's just outrageous that T1's can't be automatically covered under Medicare, regardless of their Age and JDRF and ADA aren't lobbying for this..

It's bad enough to have this disease  and then have it cause you to  live  in poverty and get poor medical care... and make the rest of the family suffer as well.. Not to mention it does impact on getting a Job, since employers hesitate on hiring us due to impacting their Group Health plans premiums...

And FYI? Better make sure your T1 Child is fully informed on what lies ahead when they become 18...and/or get out of college..They'll be on their own as well

It's so Unfair....Medicare paid out more $ for "Diabetic Shoes" and other Non Life Threatening items to fund  UnInsured T1's ...
Guess AARP has a bigger Lobby..

[KevinHarney]

One thing I had to find out the hard way was that even though Prescriptions are not necessarry for some of these items - like test strips and lancets etc.  if you can get a prescription from your Dr. they will be treated a prescription and you can get a reduced insurance rate.  That might help some.  Also many Insurance companies offer free meters periodically as a promotion from One touch or other companies.  Hope that might help.

[Forum-vol-cmb]

Again I would suggest going to the JDRF.org website.  There are options on the site to guide you to a helpful resource.