Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Access isn't Equal

"It's Day 2 of Diabetes Blog Week, with 105 bloggers officially signed up.  Today we're discussing The Cost of a Chronic Illness.

Insulin and other diabetes medications and supplies can be costly. Here in the US, insurance status and age (as in Medicare eligibility) can impact both the cost and coverage. So today, let’s discuss how cost impacts our diabetes care. Do you have advice to share? For those outside the US, is cost a concern? Are there other factors such as accessibility or education that cause barriers to your diabetes care?"

I didn't get to write this yesterday because SugarBear is sick.  Fever, sore throat, roller coaster numbers, ketones, vomiting, feeling just awful.  Today I have a moment, not because SugarBear is better he isn't, but because I'm staying home from work to care for him.


Insulin for pumps 
Insets for t-slim pump for Drago
Cartridge and tubing for t-slim pump for Drago
Pods for Omnipod pump for SugarBear
verio strips for Drago
freestyle strips for SugarBear
verio lancets for Drago
freestyle lancets for SugarBear
Alcohol swabs
Unisolve remover 
Numbing cream
Sensors for Dexcom for both
Transmitters for Dexcom for both
glucose tabs for both
glucagon for both
backup lantus insulin for both
backup pen needles and syringes for both
both cartridges and vials of novolog insulin
grif grips
skin tac
vet wrap
tegaderm
juice boxes
medical ids
food scale
ketone meters
ketone test strips
glucose gel
zofran  
kit bags
etc...etc...etc...

Supplies, supplies, supplies.  Diabetes is expensive, even with excellant insurance.  But we are thankful we have it.  But the US falls somewhere in the middle when it comes to access to all of this.  Some countries, like England, insulin is "free".  And access to insulin in third world countries can be awful.  

Some care choices in the US for those that have access issues can be devastating.  Everything from "stretching" insulin to not changing your insets regularly can have major consequences, not limited to whether one lives or not.   At the moment we are lucky but we still have to fight for more insulin, Dexcom supplies, or even enough test strips.  I wish insurance didn't dictate care. 

The pic above shows just a few of the supplies we are lucky to get.  In some places people don't have even this, making it almost impossible to really care for someone with T1.  I can't imagine complications happening so early because access isn't there.  I just recently listened to a Juicebox podcast Love and Charity in London by Scott Benner where he interviews Elizabeth who started T1 International.  It is fantastic.  And it brings to point that access isn't equal, and it should be. 

1 comment:

  1. Aww, hope your son is feeling better soon! And goodness that list is long! I know we need a lot of supplies, but seeing it typed out like that sure makes much more of an impact.

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