“Back in 1999, my insulin vial cost around $20. Fast forward 19 years. Today, my insulin cost $395 a vial! I go through a vial about every two weeks. And this is just ONE of my prescriptions for diabetes.”
Source:
Why We Should All Protest the High Cost of Insulin
More than
30 million Americans have diabetes – 10 percent of the total population in the United States.
From 2002 to 2013,
prices for insulin have tripled, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
Today, insulin can cost as much as
$500 for a box of five pens.
This whopping increase in insulin costs has hit patients’ pocketbooks pretty hard – to the point that some are
rationing their insulin. This is a dangerous practice that puts patients’ lives at great risk, and can result in life-threatening complications including blindness, loss of limbs, kidney failure, and even death.
That’s why the
ADA assembled resources to help anyone who is struggling to pay for their insulin medication; three insulin manufacturers offer hotlines for patients who need immediate assistance and long-term solutions.
To help spread the word, ISMS created a new
patient educational flyer promoting the ADA's program that assists patients with paying for their insulin medications.
Hand the flyer out to patients, post on your practice website, share via social media, or hang in your exam rooms.
Questions? Contact Corey McGee at 800-782-4767, ext. 6525 or by
email.