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.