4 ms·

Her short-acting insulin, Lispro, costs $70.22 for 1 vial, which lasts her about 30 days. That's not far off from what I pay in Canada, assuming we're talking

Her short-acting insulin, Lispro, costs $70.22 for 1 vial, which lasts her about 30 days. That's not far off from what I pay in Canada, assuming we're talking a standard 1000 U vial. I thought insulin was typically around 5x that price in the USA.

xedrac 4y ago
I saw this in the news recently: https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/3/8/22968089/utah-company-plans-to-make-insulin-affordable-health-care-civica-intermountain-healthcare https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/3/8/22968089/utah-company-... I'm not sure how $30 for 100 units of insulin compares to the status quo, but they make it sound like it'll be significantly cheaper. It's supposedly slated for 2024, assuming FDA approval.
Wohlf 4y ago
iirc it's not the insulin but the injectors that are expensive, similar to epi-pens.
PragmaticPulp 4y ago
> I thought insulin was typically around 5x that price in the USA Insulin comes in several different forms. It's the patented, long-acting forms that are currently expensive in the United States. Regular generic insulin is $25/vial at Walmart. You actually don't even need a prescription to get it in most places. The low price of regular insulin is actually unknown to huge numbers of Americans, who are only familiar with insulin analog prices talked about in headlines. There's even a Snopes page confirming that Walmart sells $25/vial insulin because so many people think it must be untrue ( https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/insulin-walmart-vial/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/insulin-walmart-vial/ ) WalMart also sells a long-acting insulin analog (NovoLog) for about $75/vial (1000 U total): https://www.walmart.com/cp/relion-diabetic-care/3769564 https://www.walmart.com/cp/relion-diabetic-care/3769564 There is a major problem with insulin education among healthcare providers, IMO. A lot of them will write prescriptions for expensive long-acting forms because they don't ask the patient's financial/insurance status. A lot of patients aren't even aware that they are on a specific patented insulin analog. They just know they take "insulin", that it's expensive when they fill the prescription, and that all of the headlines say insulin is expensive and therefore their experience is normal. It's a dumb situation. Even dumber: Many Insulin analog manufacturers will actually reimburse low-income patients for their out-of-pocket costs of buying insulin. If you do some research, even the expensive insulins can become very affordable or even free by filling out the right forms. Again, dumb situation, but it's out there.
- CarbonCycles 4y ago
  Also consider this, different manufacturers of "short-acting" and "long-acting" respond differently within people's bodies. My daughter responded very differently between Humalog and Novolog even though they are both considered "short-acting". Another problem to factor in with costs is if you have a HSA (and some other insurance plans). Many of the insurance companies are forcing ppl to purchase their supplies through a handful of "authorized" medical suppliers. If you fail to purchase through them, they will not apply the costs against your deductible, which I think is completely BS. To add insult to injury, these "authorized" medical suppliers mark up the supplies substantially (compared to Costco and other pharmacies). Something is really broken in this model...
bluedino 4y ago
> That's not far off from what I pay in Canada It's not free?
- timbit42 4y ago
  Prescription drugs are not included in Canada's healthcare system. Dental and optical aren't either. Each province has a drug program where people can pay a monthly fee (depending on income) and get drugs inexpensively (cost depends on income). For example, I pay $30/month for my provincial drug plan and never pay more than $15 for however many prescriptions I am picking up from the drug store. Some people pay for their own health insurance and others get it through their employer. Also, those on social assistance or over 65 are also on a similar provincial drug program.
- cperciva 4y ago
  Nope. Hospitals and doctors are free, but prescriptions aren't.

xedrac 4y ago

I saw this in the news recently: https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/3/8/22968089/utah-company-plans-to-make-insulin-affordable-health-care-civica-intermountain-healthcare https://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/3/8/22968089/utah-company-... I'm not sure how $30 for 100 units of insulin compares to the status quo, but they make it sound like it'll be significantly cheaper. It's supposedly slated for 2024, assuming FDA approval.

Wohlf 4y ago

iirc it's not the insulin but the injectors that are expensive, similar to epi-pens.

PragmaticPulp 4y ago

> I thought insulin was typically around 5x that price in the USA Insulin comes in several different forms. It's the patented, long-acting forms that are currently expensive in the United States. Regular generic insulin is $25/vial at Walmart. You actually don't even need a prescription to get it in most places. The low price of regular insulin is actually unknown to huge numbers of Americans, who are only familiar with insulin analog prices talked about in headlines. There's even a Snopes page confirming that Walmart sells $25/vial insulin because so many people think it must be untrue ( https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/insulin-walmart-vial/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/insulin-walmart-vial/ ) WalMart also sells a long-acting insulin analog (NovoLog) for about $75/vial (1000 U total): https://www.walmart.com/cp/relion-diabetic-care/3769564 https://www.walmart.com/cp/relion-diabetic-care/3769564 There is a major problem with insulin education among healthcare providers, IMO. A lot of them will write prescriptions for expensive long-acting forms because they don't ask the patient's financial/insurance status. A lot of patients aren't even aware that they are on a specific patented insulin analog. They just know they take "insulin", that it's expensive when they fill the prescription, and that all of the headlines say insulin is expensive and therefore their experience is normal. It's a dumb situation. Even dumber: Many Insulin analog manufacturers will actually reimburse low-income patients for their out-of-pocket costs of buying insulin. If you do some research, even the expensive insulins can become very affordable or even free by filling out the right forms. Again, dumb situation, but it's out there.

CarbonCycles 4y ago
Also consider this, different manufacturers of "short-acting" and "long-acting" respond differently within people's bodies. My daughter responded very differently between Humalog and Novolog even though they are both considered "short-acting". Another problem to factor in with costs is if you have a HSA (and some other insurance plans). Many of the insurance companies are forcing ppl to purchase their supplies through a handful of "authorized" medical suppliers. If you fail to purchase through them, they will not apply the costs against your deductible, which I think is completely BS. To add insult to injury, these "authorized" medical suppliers mark up the supplies substantially (compared to Costco and other pharmacies). Something is really broken in this model...

bluedino 4y ago

> That's not far off from what I pay in Canada It's not free?

timbit42 4y ago
Prescription drugs are not included in Canada's healthcare system. Dental and optical aren't either. Each province has a drug program where people can pay a monthly fee (depending on income) and get drugs inexpensively (cost depends on income). For example, I pay $30/month for my provincial drug plan and never pay more than $15 for however many prescriptions I am picking up from the drug store. Some people pay for their own health insurance and others get it through their employer. Also, those on social assistance or over 65 are also on a similar provincial drug program.
cperciva 4y ago
Nope. Hospitals and doctors are free, but prescriptions aren't.