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These prices are not high. I went through a period when I had no health insurance, and I had to rely on generic insulin, the kind you can buy at Walmart for $25
by inetsee 6y ago
These prices are not high. I went through a period when I had no health insurance, and I had to rely on generic insulin, the kind you can buy at Walmart for $25 a vial. I have insurance now and the insulin I take now costs me a co-pay of $100 a vial. Paying $35 a vial without insurance is not bad at all.
- messe 6y agoIt's a hell of a lot higher than most developed nations. Here in Ireland, as far as I'm aware, it's free thanks to the long term illness scheme. (We have both public and private healthcare available)
- wincy 6y agoJust because you never see the cost, doesn’t mean it costs “nothing”.
- messe 6y agoSure, but to someone who's on unemployment benefits. It's free. To someone who's earning a little bit more than that, it's free. To someone who is earning enough to pay tax, they're paying a tiny amount. To someone who's earning more than 30K€, they're paying a few grand in taxes (which covers other public services also). To someone who's earning 60k€ they're paying even more. But the important thing is that the person who's earning fuck-all can still afford it, because it costs nothing to them.
- inetsee 6y agoI am aware that insulin costs a lot less in other countries. I have read the stories of Americans going to Canada to buy insulin. I have also read the stories of diabetics in the United States who died because they tried to make their insulin last longer by rationing their dose. If I didn't have insurance my insulin would cost me either $245 (fast-acting) or $700 (basal) a vial. I was just pointing out that getting insulin for $35 a vial in the United States is a very good deal.
- hhjinks 6y agoWhat's wrong with the cheap generic?
- inetsee 6y agoThe cheap generic doesn't have the same effect profile. It's much harder to match an insulin bolus for the carbohydrates you're eating at a meal. The combination of fast acting and basal insulin can do a much better job of keeping your glucose readings in a good range. That said, the same kinds of insulin cost a lot less in many foreign countries than they do in the United States.