I want to try something new and I need your help. I am trying to work out just how different it is around the world when it comes to paying for a vial of insulin. Here in Australia, a 10ml vial of Humolog costs me just under eight Aussie dollars. What about you?
So, I’m asking for you to post a photo of yourself, with whichever insulin you use (penfill or vial) and tell me how much your out of pocket cost is in whichever currency you use. For some, it will be nothing. For others, a lot more.
Post your photo on the Diabetogenic Facebook page, or tweet it using the hashtag #InsulinPlayingField. And on World Diabetes Day, I’ll share the results.
So go! And share this around. Let’s see how far we can get this going and how different the playing field is across the globe.
Diabetogenic 
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September 23, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Rick Phillips
The truth is the prices are so different in the US that no one measure (even cost ) works. Here is why: each month I pay $30.00 US for 5 vials of insulin. So I have it really good. $6.00 US per vial. but if I buy one vial it still costs $30.00. So that is $30.00 per vial. If my doctor prescribes 10 vials it is still $30.00. Hey, a bargain. All of this is an insurance inequity that most of us do not face.
But wait it is still more variable if I go to the pharmacy and buy it without insurance I pay $347.00 per vial. That is the cost for people not nearly as fortunate as I.
If I am on Medicare (a federal health care program for the disabled and those over 65) and I have a pump I pay $250.00 per year. If I am on the same program and do not have a pump I pay on average $63.00 per vial up to $2,500 annually then $325 per vial up to $2,000 then it costs $0.00
The thing is in the US the system is so skewed by insurance that there is no clear measure.
So the next question is well why don’t you all get better insurance. the cost of my insurance plan is about $14,000 per year. An employer pays that amount to help me stay healthy. So is insurance cost a factor in the total cost of insulin? It certainly is but how much? Truthfully we do not know.
Then of course, for fun lets add discounts. Our insurance buys contracts with providers to discount the price of insurance. So my insurance has a deal with Lilly, Since I am a member I get my insulin for retail minus discount. The discount is 19% off list. If i were on medicare the discount on both novolog and humalog would be 24%.
All of this makes the price question incomprehensible. Even if we knew the actual price few of us pay it. It is maddening I only wish we could say at some level this is the cost of a commodity. Instead of this charade we operate in.
So what is the cost of my insulin? Beats me.
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September 25, 2016 at 4:44 am
Elizabeth Rowley
Hi Renza! It will be cool to see these photos and let’s hope we can even that playing field. 🙂 We do have this data from over 200 people from our Insulin & Supply Survey and you can look at Humalog specifically. https://www.t1international.com/insulin-and-supply-survey/.
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September 25, 2016 at 9:30 am
RenzaS
Thanks, Elizabeth. Yes – your survey is actually what prompted this. i wanted to put some faces and people to the crazy unfairness of the situation. Hope all is well! I continue to love what you are doing!!
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September 29, 2016 at 12:11 am
More people, more ideas. | Diabetes Blog - Happy-Medium.net
[…] And hat tip to Renza at Diabetogenic for her post too. […]
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October 13, 2016 at 5:43 pm
abs
Hey Renza. Cuirious why you use the 10ml vials. As you know, PBS script prices are currently $38.30 in AUstralia. Regardless of whether you get 5x10ml vials (50ml) (with 2 repeats) ….. OR ……. 5x5x3ml penfill cartridges (75ml) (but just 1 repeat). So per script from the doc it is still 150mls, but that would cost you $115ish using vials or $77 with the penfills.
I swapped over to penfill even though MDI years ago.
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October 13, 2016 at 5:48 pm
RenzaS
Hey abs. It’s habit! Ever since I started on a pump (over 15 years ago) I’ve used 10ml vials. For ages I’ve meant to get my prescription changed, but keep forgetting. I should write myself a note for my next endo appointment! Thanks for reading.
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