Dying for not affording insulin?

[question everything]

From the local paper:

When Alec Smith turned 26 last May and aged out of his parents’ health insurance, he discovered that he couldn’t afford coverage of his own. Within weeks, he was trying to ration his diabetes medication because he couldn’t afford a $1,300 refill.

A month later, the young restaurant manager was dead. An autopsy found he suffered a critical shortage of insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar and energy in the body.

http://www.startribune.com/son-s-death-pushes-mom-into-drug-price-spotlight/482344871/

Insulin has been around for almost 100 years! How can it be so expensive?

[greymattermom]

1. I have a nephew in this same situation, so it's likely that there are a lot of folks facing this.

My nephew will be off my sister's health insurance in about a year, and he works as an uber driver. We live in Georgia, where medicaid expansion didn't happen. What can he do? Marry his girlfriend, who works in retail and currently has health insurance? Leave the state? He doesn't have many options, but he will be dead in 2 weeks without insulin, so they won't have much time to decide what to do when the time comes.

[Phoenix61]

2. Unbelievable

It would be cheaper for the gov to give it away then provide care for the host of medical problems that develop when blood sugar isn't well managed. I can't imagine the pain this woman is feeling. I can't believe we can't fix this.

[JaneQPublic]

3. I've long wondered how diabetics without insurance could afford insulin.

One of my cats has diabetes, so every 3-4 months I have to buy another vial of insulin -- the same type people use (Lantus).

Although I have a good medical plan through work, it doesn't cover pets , so I pay for the insulin and syringes out of pocket.

Currently, a vial is "only" about $275, but in past years, it has gone as high as nearly $400.

I'm very grateful that I can afford it and that a cat doesn't use as much insulin as a human, but each time I visit the pharmacy to refill the prescription, I worry about people who can't afford it, like the poor young man in the original post.

People in America shouldn't die for inability to afford medication.

[montanacowboy]

4. Walmart sells Insulin for $25 a bottle

I have a diabetic dog and could not be able to give him his medication with this

When I first started out I didn't know about the Walmart thing and was spending $360 a bottle at Walgreens Pharmacy.

the Vet Clinic did not tell me I could get the same at Walmart for $25. We get Novalin N.

I am no fan of Walmart but in this instance I have to give Kudos to them.

[lunasun]

5. Many top comments at the link blame it on Obama and that no POC have had the problem yet 😱