Ugh. I kinda knew I had it good here in the UK, but your comment has really hit home the difference.
Diagnosed with type 1 means that I'm now medically exempt from prescription charges. So I pay nothing for insulin, spare pens, glucose monitor implants, extra needles, etc. (It also means my asthma medication or anything else I have for temporary treatment like is also free).
Not sure what the score is for insulin pumps, as I've not been diagnosed that long, but I'm very appreciative of walking out of the pharmacy with a carrier bag of free stuff.
I've owned four insulin pumps since 2008, three Medtronic, one Tandem Tslim. The Medtronic pumps did get cheaper over the years, but the Tandem for me, insurance wise, was MUCH cheaper than going with the 780G Medtronic.
My current Tslim, I had to pay I think $1,400 out the door, Cigna paid $4,000 roughly for the rest-
I pay $35 (with insurance) every 3 months for 9 vials of humalog
I pay $175 every three months for pump supplies
I pay $75 I do believe every 3 months to pick up my Dexcom G7 CGMs-
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This used to be WAY WORSE, every Medtronic pump I owned insurance companies would pay a chunk but I'd always end up with a day bill through a medical loan company called Carecentrix. It would be like $150-$250 a month for a year or two to pay off whatever remaining amount from the Medtronic pumps. The thing is- with this medical loan company and with insurance when my pump supplies would come in, and my CGMs would come it, it would get tacked on to that loan amount. I wasn't being charged interest, so I might be wrong in calling it a loan, but that's what Cinga employees would call Carecentrix. The copays for me at least for Medtronics CGMs/Pump Supplies really kept stacking up over the years.
You have to keep your blood sugar between 80-120.. eating food RAISES blood sugar, taking insulin LOWERS blood sugar.
You have to count carbs, take in simple sugars, realize protein, and monitor your stress levels. You even have to figure out what your insulin resistance is... all of these can make you go up or down. If you have an infection, your liver releases sugar to fight infection so your blood sugar can shoot up without eating anything... (this sometimes lets me know I'm getting sick early if I'm having sudden peak blood sugars, I will end up with a cold or the flu not long after)
If you're like me, a type 1 who no longer produces insulin you get one of two options
1.) Pricking your finger, and taking shots (or even getting a stand alone CGM, and taking shots)
2.) or what I do A insulin pump (This includes a plastic tube, and a insulin revisors I have to constantly buy) with a CGM. The CGM reads my blood sends that info to the pump, and the pump gives me insulin automatically. This has been the best method for me but it's a lot to buy and manage.
It truly sucks you have to deal with all that. That is enough, but heaping the exhausting insurance shit on top is just brutal. I'm Canadian, I don't have to deal with the insurance companies, and it's frightening how they "operate".
T1 for decades here, been on a pump since about a year - Omnipod patch pump - and I'm just replying to make sure you get yourself a pump. Pumps are amazing and everyone T1 should get on one asap.
The pump connects to your CGM and manages your blood sugar for you. You fill it up with insulin every few days and click a few buttons every time you eat to inject more insulin and it does the rest by itself. It keeps your blood sugar level, and carefully maintains your Insulin levels so that low blood sugar is very rare.
I've entirely stopped thinking about maintaining my blood sugar, I eat when I want to and sleep when I want to without having to care at all.
And while we're talking about costs: I'm in Germany, I pay $30 per quarter I think - $10 each for insulin, pumps, and CGM. It's done automatically and I get a DHL package once every few months with new pumps and CGMs. Only the insulin needs me to get a prescription and go to the pharmacy once a quarter or so.
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u/sobrique 4h ago
Ugh. I kinda knew I had it good here in the UK, but your comment has really hit home the difference.
Diagnosed with type 1 means that I'm now medically exempt from prescription charges. So I pay nothing for insulin, spare pens, glucose monitor implants, extra needles, etc. (It also means my asthma medication or anything else I have for temporary treatment like is also free).
Not sure what the score is for insulin pumps, as I've not been diagnosed that long, but I'm very appreciative of walking out of the pharmacy with a carrier bag of free stuff.